Variableleaf sunflower facts for kids

Helianthus heterophyllus is a special type of sunflower! It's often called the variableleaf sunflower or wetland sunflower because of where it grows and how its leaves look. This plant is originally from the warm, wet coastal areas in the southern United States, stretching from Texas all the way to North Carolina.

What is the Variableleaf Sunflower?

The variableleaf sunflower is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years, coming back year after year. It can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching up to 120 centimeters (about 4 feet)! Imagine a sunflower almost as tall as you are.

How Does it Grow and Spread?

This plant is very good at spreading out. It uses special underground stems called rhizomes to grow new plants nearby. This helps it form large patches in its natural habitat.

Its leaves and stems are usually smooth, with very few hairs, or sometimes no hairs at all. If you look at the underside of its leaves, you might notice they look a bit white. This is because they have a lot of wax on them, which can help protect the plant.

What Do Its Flowers Look Like?

Each variableleaf sunflower plant can produce a few beautiful flower heads, usually between one and five. Each flower head is like a mini-sun, with bright yellow petals around the edge. These yellow petals are called ray florets. There are usually 12 to 18 of them on each flower.

In the center of the flower head, you'll find at least 100 tiny red or brown flowers. These are called disc florets. Together, the ray florets and disc florets make up the complete sunflower head we see.

Where Does the Wetland Sunflower Live?

As its common name "wetland sunflower" suggests, this plant loves wet places! It typically grows in sandy soils that are often damp or wet, especially in low-lying areas near the coast. This makes it a unique and important part of the wetland ecosystems in the southern United States.