Swamp Sunflower
Helianthus angustifolius
Hundreds of bright yellow, chocolate-centered flowers erupt on 6 to 7 foot stems in October. Sheer fall volume, spreading into colonies over time.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Autumn's biggest bloom -- hundreds of yellow flowers with dark centers on 6-foot stems when nothing else is performing.
Swamp sunflower is autumn's most generous plant. In October, six to seven feet of narrow-leaved stems erupt into hundreds of small bright yellow flowers with dark chocolate-purple centers, a color combination so satisfying that it looks designed. The fine-textured foliage stays clean and fresh all season before giving way to this final extravagance at the tail end of the growing season, just as everything else is fading. Despite the name, it grows well across a broad moisture range, from moist to average garden soil, with only brief wet periods tolerated. It spreads by rhizome to form a colony over time, which means it's best in spaces with room to expand or naturalized areas along a stream or pond. This plant earns its spot with sheer fall volume.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown swamp sunflower propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 4–7 ft · 24–48 in wide
- Bloom time
- September–October
- Bloom color
- Yellow
- USDA zones
- 5–9
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native range
- Eastern United States from New York south to Florida and west to Texas, in moist soils and coastal plain habitats
Care notes for swamp sunflower.
Full sun in moist to average soil. Cut back hard in early spring before new growth. Pinch or Chelsea chop in late May to reduce ultimate height and encourage bushier form. Spreads by rhizome and can be aggressive in rich, moist soil. site accordingly.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside swamp sunflower.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.