False Sunflower (Heliopsis)

Heliopsis is a genus of flowering perennials in the aster family, commonly called false sunflowers or oxeyes. Garden forms are grown for their sunny, daisy-like flower heads, and their sizes, foliage and habits vary among species and cultivars. ## Garden use The familiar smooth oxeye, Heliopsis helianthoides, is an upright, clump-forming North American perennial with yellow flowers that can attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. It is used in cottage, native and cutting gardens, and named selections may be much shorter or have distinctive foliage. Check the exact species or cultivar before using dimensions, hardiness or care values for an individual plant. ## Growing conditions For H. helianthoides, full sun gives the strongest stems and flowering, though partial shade is tolerated. It grows in well-drained soils from clay to sand and can handle medium-moist to occasionally dry conditions. Deadheading can extend flowering, and seed heads may be eaten by songbirds. These details describe the species rather than a universal rule for every Heliopsis. See [North Carolina State Extension’s Heliopsis profile](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/heliopsis-helianthoides/common-name/heliopsis/) for species-level identification, wildlife and cultivation information. ## Maintenance Remove spent flowers to encourage continued bloom on H. helianthoides. Where self-seeding is not wanted, remove seed heads before they mature.