Southeastern sunflower (Helianthus agrestis) is found in moist to wet soil habitats throughout much of peninsular Florida except the most southerly counties. It is a near endemic with only one collection made historically (1904) near Thomasville, Georgia - near the Florida border. This is an annual species, generating from seed each spring before reaching a mature height of about 6 feet in the summer.
The flower heads are several inches across with the bright yellow ray petals being about 1/2 inch across. Like all members of this genus, they attract the attention of a great many pollinators. The seeds are important to songbirds as well. Because of its annual nature, southeastern sunflower is rarely offered by native plant nurseries affiliated with FANN - the Florida Association of Native Nurseries. If you find one, make sure that you collect seed from your plants before the birds find it and sow them when ripe in a good potting mix for eventual transplanting. I have recently planted this at a project I am directing in Pasco County and will do this myself. It is my hope that if I get a sufficient number of plants that they will reseed themselves naturally. Time will tell.
Thank you for the information and the nice pictures. It was well written and educational.
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