Helianthus mollis | downy sunflower

Helianthus mollis, commonly known as downy sunflower, ashy sunflower, or hairy sunflower, is the most reasonable perennial sunflower that we grow. It reaches only around four feet high and behaves politely in the garden. Like the other sunflowers, it attracts scads of pollinators and feeds our native birds through winter. The overall form is rather coarse, but I'm a sucker for fuzzy, silver foliage. Easy to grow in full sun on any soil as long as drainage is good. Will form colonies in time. Zones: 4 to 9 Family: Asteraceae Type: Herbaceous perennial Height: 24 to 48 in. Spread: 12 to 36 in. Exposure: full sun Soil: average, well-drained, dry Bloom Time: July to September Native Range: central and eastern North America