Beach Sunflower

Beach Sunflower is the flower which is more commonly seen in home gardens in cities. It should be distinguished from the real Sunflower, which is a larger plant, with larger flowers. Beach Sunflower is an erect or a spreading perennial that can grow up to 3-4 ft tall. It has attractive, small sunflower-like flower heads which are borne throughout the year. These showy flowers have 10 to 20, pale yellow rays that encircle a purplish-brown disk that is ½ to 1 inch wide. Different species of butterflies are attracted to these charming flowers. The 3-inch-wide flowers of this plant are followed by small seeds that readily germinate to produce plantlets. The Beach Sunflower has small, dark green, triangular or heart-shaped leaves that are irregularly lobed and toothed. These glossy leaves are roughly pubescent and attain a length of 4 inches.