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Heliopsis perennial is a familiar and long-loved plant by domestic gardeners, an unpretentious flowering plant, the baskets of which resemble small suns in shape and color. People often call it “yellow daisy.” At first glance, this flower is simple, but if you take a closer look, the simple secret of its charm will become clear.
Perennial heliopsis is absolutely not capricious and retains its decorative appearance for a long time. It grows equally well both in a summer cottage or garden plot, and in urban conditions, decorating a flower bed in a park or a front garden in the courtyard of an apartment building. In ornamental gardening, one of the species of this plant has been widely used - heliopsis sunflower, and, above all, such a variety as heliopsis rough. A significant number of interesting varieties have now been bred on their basis.
Description of perennial heliopsis
Heliopsis is a genus of about 15 species of herbaceous flowering plants and is part of the Asteraceae family.Most of its representatives come from Central and North America. Among them there are both annual and perennial species. In the wild, heliopsis prefers to grow on the edges of forests, in fields and along roadsides.
Heliopsis perennial, which can most often be found in a park or garden, is a tall herbaceous plant with straight, strong, abundantly branched shoots, reaching 0.6-1.6 m. The surface of the stems is bare or rough, in the upper part it often becomes lignified .
The root system of perennial heliopsis is powerful and fibrous. It tends to grow quickly.
The leaves of perennial heliopsis are small, oval, with a pointed outer end and jagged edges. On the shoots they are usually located opposite. The surface of the leaf blades is usually rough to the touch because it is covered with small bristles.
The growing shoots of heliopsis, densely crowned with bright flowers, easily form thickets
The inflorescences of perennial heliopsis are baskets with a diameter of up to 7-10 cm, consisting of marginal reed and central tubular flowers. The first ones are usually elongated, orange or yellow in color. In simple inflorescences they can be arranged in 1-2 rows, surrounding an open yellow or brownish core. If there are so many reed flowers that the central part is almost invisible, then such inflorescences are considered semi-double or double. The baskets can be located on the tops of the shoots singly or be combined in several pieces into complex panicles.
Perennial heliopsis blooms for a total of up to 75 days. The first “suns”, as a rule, begin to appear at the end of June or mid-July and stay on the bushes until September-October.
At the end of flowering, in the fall, the fruits of perennial heliopsis ripen. These are flat naked achenes up to 0.3 cm long, coal-black in color.
Popular types and varieties
The only species of this plant used in culture is Heliopsis perennial sunflower. In particular, one of its varieties is very popular - rough heliopsis. Thanks to breeders, mainly American and German, ornamental horticulture today has a rich variety of varieties of this plant, which are widely used in the field of floristry and landscape design.
Heliopsis sunflower
The flowers of heliopsis helianthoides (lat. heliopsis helianthoides) are painted predominantly in golden-yellow shades.
Its characteristic features:
- The size of the shoots is on average about 80-100 cm;
- bare stem surface;
- large baskets about 9 cm in diameter;
- abundant flowering.
Heliopsis sunflower - a plant that captivates with its exquisite simplicity
Heliopsis rough
Most botanists consider rough heliopsis to be a variety of sunflower (lat. Heliopsis helianthoides var. Scabra).
Within the main type it is distinguished:
- fleecy surface of the stem and leaves;
- shoot length is about 120-150 cm;
- The diameter of the baskets is approximately 7 cm.
The majority of decorative species of perennial sunflower originate from this variety.
Solar explosion
Heliopsis perennial sunflower Sunburst (Sunburst, Solar Explosion) is a compact, densely branching plant, an adult bush of which reaches 70 cm in height and 60 cm in width. Its main characteristic feature is elegant striped leaves, painted white or cream with dark green longitudinal stripes. Thanks to this, the Solar Explosion remains decorative even during the period when it does not bloom.
Bright yellow simple baskets with dark gold colored centers appear on the bush in mid-summer and last until early autumn. This variety is well suited for container growing and also looks great in bouquets when cut.
Solar Explosion - a highly decorative variegated variety of universal use
Golden balls
Heliopsis rough Golden Plume (Golden Balls) is an ornamental variety relatively recently bred by Karl Förster in Germany. The height of the bush is about 1 m. The flowers are spectacular, double, yellow-orange in color.
Golden Plume blooms from July to September.
Terry pompoms of Golden Balls attract the eye
Summer Knights
The bush of the perennial heliopsis variety of American selection Summer Nights (Summer Knights, Summer Nights) grows 1.2 m in height and 0.6 m in width. The bright yellow simple flowers with a deep orange central disk are mounted on striking purple-red stems. The leaves have a characteristic bronze tint.
The flowering period of this variety is from mid-summer to early autumn.
In the original Summer Knights color scheme, gold and red are combined
Summer Sun
Heliopsis rough Summer Sun (Summer Sun, Summer Sun) is characterized by a moderate height of the bush - up to 90 cm. It has semi-double inflorescences with a diameter of 5-7 cm, golden-orange color. You can admire them throughout the summer.
Large semi-double inflorescences of Summer Sun seem fluffy
Summer Pink
The perennial heliopsis variety Summer Pink (Summer Pink, Summer Pink) has a unique coloring that combines the bright yellow color of simple baskets with red centers, dark burgundy shoots and white-pink leaves with veins of deep green tones.
The bush is quite compact - its height is about 60-70 cm. Flowers appear in late spring and remain on the shoots until the first frost. This variety grows very slowly.
The non-standard color of the leaves gives the Summer Pink variety a special charm
Lorraine Sunshine
The perennial heliopsis bush Loraine Sunshine is small in size - 60-75 cm in height and 30-45 cm in width. Thanks to this, it does not require support. The reed flowers of Lorraine Sunshine are golden yellow in color. They are arranged in several rows around a dark yellow core. The leaves are white or silver-gray with clearly visible, prominent dark green veins.
This variety blooms in summer. The bush grows quickly.
Lorraine Sunshine's white-green leaves pair beautifully with its golden flowers.
Flame of the sun
Heliopsis cultivar of perennial German origin Sonnenglut (Sonnenglut, Flame of the Sun) grows up to 1.4 m in height. Its large semi-double inflorescences reach 12 cm in diameter.They are bright gold in color with a darker, golden-orange center. Color saturation tends to fade over time. The leaves are large, dark green, with a glossy surface.
The flowering period of the Sonnenglut variety lasts from early summer to early autumn.
The Sonnenglut bush is tall and lush
Asahi
Perennial Heliopsis Asahi (Asahi) owes its original, very decorative appearance to the abundance of large terry baskets of golden yellow color located on densely branching strong green stems. The height of its shoots usually does not exceed 60-75 cm. This variety blooms all summer, and if you remove the wilted heads in time, you can admire it in early autumn. The leaves of the plant are dark green. When cut in a vase with water, Asahi can last about 2 weeks.
Asahi is one of the most unusual looking varieties
Ballerina
The golden semi-double inflorescences of the perennial heliopsis Ballerina (Ballerina) really evoke an association with a lush ballet tutu. The color of the central disk may have a brownish tint. The bush grows tall, about 90-120 cm. The leaf blades are wide, rich green.
Flowering can be observed from July to September.
The bright yellow inflorescences of Ballerina seem delicate and airy
Benzingold
The inflorescences of the perennial heliopsis Benzinggold (Benzinggold) are semi-double, and the reed flowers are painted in yellow and orange tones. The leaves are single-colored, dark green. The shoots grow 1.5-2 m in height, but do not need support.
Flowering begins in mid-summer and lasts until early autumn.
Benzinggold is one of the tallest sunflower varieties.
Loddon's Light
The sunny yellow perennial heliopsis Light of Loddon (Light Of Loddon, Light of Loddon) grows up to 1 m tall. The shape of its baskets is simple, the diameter is up to 8 cm. The reed flowers are arranged in 2 rows. The central part has a distinctly convex shape and is colored dark yellow. The leaves are elongated, spear-shaped. Their color is dark green.
This variety blooms in July. It lasts until the first frost in October.
Baskets of Loddon's Light form a dense flowering island at the peak of the season
Heliopsis in landscape design
Perennial heliopsis is a valuable, almost universal garden design element. It has the remarkable property of organically fitting into most compositions and solutions.
Photos of examples of the use of perennial heliopsis in landscape design will help you imagine where this plant can best show itself.
When decorating a flower garden in a rustic style, it is best to plant a tall, handsome sunflower in the background
The sunflower goes well with brightly flowering flora, allowing you to decorate a cozy corner of the garden “a la Provence”
Excellent neighbors for heliopsis are paniculate phlox, bells, delphinium, aster, and calendula.
A colorful and lush sunflower bush, standing alone in the middle of a neat English lawn, will attract admiring glances
Several varieties of perennial heliopsis, adjacent to each other in a small space, are in excellent harmony with each other.
You can get creative and recreate a unique rustic flavor in your garden using typical household and interior items
A plot in a rustic style can be decorated more strictly, but you still can’t do without a sunflower
Against the background of dense greenery of shrubs or ornamental grasses, the flaming baskets of perennial heliopsis will look especially bright
Sunflower inflorescences look very delicate and beautiful as part of summer bouquets - after cutting they remain fresh for a long time
Conclusion
Perennial heliopsis - bright warm “suns” on dense tall bushes, decorating the garden in summer and early autumn. The variety of its varieties currently available for the landscape designer to choose from is truly impressive. When planning to decorate a plot in a rustic or country style, looking for an accent to place in the middle of a strict English lawn, or planning to plant a variegated, colorful flower garden, a gardener will certainly remember the perennial heliopsis. And the cute, unpretentious sunflower, captivating with its charming simplicity, will undoubtedly not let him down.
