Helianthus debilis Nutt. ssp. cucumerifolius (Torr. & A. Gray) Heiser

Cucumber Leaf Sunflower

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Beach Sunflower is a native annual in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It can be found in the southern half of Alabama. Beach Sunflower occurs on beaches, in sand hills, around the edges of fields, on roadsides, and along railroad tracks. It is an annual with a tap root. Stems are erect to sprawling, 2-5 feet in height, green in color, pubescent, and freely branched from the lower and middle nodes. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, ovate to deltoid in outline, glabrous to pubescent, and with irregularly toothed margins. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are solitary and axillary from the upper nodes on long peduncles, 9-15 inches in length. Each head has 20-30 lanceolate phyllaries, 11-20 yellow ray flowers, and 30-80 reddish disc flowers. The fruit is an achene. Beach Sunflower is available as seed from some wildflower nurseries. Several cultivars are available. Beach Sunflower prefers a sandy soil in full sun. Once established it is drought and salt tolerant, and thrives in nutrient poor soils. The fruit of Beach Sunflower are consumed by a wide variety of birds and small mammals.--A. Diamond

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Native

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