How to Grow Heliopsis Plants in your Garden
Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing False Sunflower, Oxeye, and Gold Root
Members of the Heliopsis genus are hardy annuals that reach from 90 cm to 1.5 m (3 to 5 feet) in height.
They carry large daisy / Sunflower like flowers of orange or yellow. Due to their large size they make great border flowers, where their weedy leaves can be hidden.
Some of the common names for Heliopsis include False Sunflower and Orange Sunflower.
Heliopsis helianthoides - False Sunflower by wackybadger.
False sunflower by daryl_mitchell.
Heliopsis Growing and Care Guide
Common Names: False Sunflower, Oxeye, Orange Sunflower, Gold root.
Life Cycle: Hardy perennial.
Height: 36 to 60 inches (90 to 150 cm).
Native: Americas.
Growing Region: Zones 3 to 9.
Flower Details: Orange, yellow; discs often brownish. Daisy-like ray and disc florets. May be semi-double.
Foliage: Herbaceous. Green. Serrated. Opposite. Cordiform to deltoid.
Sow Inside: Germination time: one to two weeks. Temperature: 70°F (21°C). Start of spring - before the last frost or in early autumn.
Miscellaneous: Attractive to butterflies. Name comes from the greek for sun (helios) and appears (opsis).
How to grow False Sunflower (Heliopsis) Plants in the Garden
When growing False sunflowers it is best to sow the seed outside in either early spring or at the beginning of autumn.
Simply cover the seed with a light dusting of topsoil.
They like to grow in a sunny part of the garden, that has a rich loamy soil with slightly acidic to neutral pH (5.5 to 7).
If you would like to first grow False Sunflowers (Heliopsis) indoors as seedlings, then this should be started about 9 or 10 weeks before the seedlings are due to be transplanted into the garden. Which can be either at the beginning of august or before the last frost of spring.
They should be spaced at about 60 to 90 cm (2 to 3 feet) apart.
Caring for Heliopsis Plants in the garden
Heliopsis plants can grow in dry soil, but it is best to water them occasionally and to apply a light fertilizer in the middle of the growing season.
Once flowering has finished cut back the plats to the ground in the autumn.
If you require more false sunflowers and other Heliopsis Plants in the garden, then they can be divided in the spring. Alternatively take cuttings took from the stems in the summer.
I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Heliopsis plants. You may also enjoy my gardening guides on how to grow Chionodoxa, Watsonia plant, and Fumitory plants.
If you enjoy the information on this site, then you'll love my book: The Gardener's HQ Plant Growing Guide. Available for Kindle (MOBI), iPad (ePub) and as a PDF.
Genus Index H
