Helianthella parryi facts for kids

Get ready to meet a cool plant from North America! It's called Helianthella parryi, but you might know it better by its common name: Parry's dwarf-sunflower. This plant is part of the amazing sunflower family, just like the big sunflowers you might see in fields.

Meet Parry's Dwarf-Sunflower!

Parry's dwarf-sunflower is a special plant found in the southwestern parts of the United States. It was first described way back in 1864 by a scientist named Asa Gray. This plant is a great example of the diverse flora (plant life) that grows in this region.

What Does This Plant Look Like?

Parry's dwarf-sunflower is a herbaceous plant. This means it has soft, green stems instead of woody ones like a tree or shrub. It can grow up to 50 cm (20 in) tall, which is about knee-high for many kids!

Its flowers are very pretty and bright yellow. Usually, each stem has just one flower head. Sometimes, though, you might see two or even three flower heads on a single stem. These flower heads often nod, which means they hang down a little bit.

Each flower head is actually made up of many tiny flowers! On the outside, you'll see 8 to 14 yellow ray flowers. These look like the petals of a typical sunflower. In the center, there are lots of disc flowers, also yellow. These are the tiny flowers that make up the "eye" of the sunflower.

Where Does It Grow?

You can find Parry's dwarf-sunflower growing naturally in several states in the southwestern United States. These states include Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. It's adapted to live in the environments found in these areas.