Ox-Eye

Ox-Eye, False Sunflower

Heliopsis helianthoides (L.) Sweet

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

▲ ▼ mature, flowering plants

▲ flower (head inflorescence)

Heliopsis helianthoides (L.) Sweet; False Sunflower, Oxeye: (Bayer Code: HEFHE; US Code HEHE5)

U.S. native, rhizome-producing, creeping perennial wildflower that grows 2.5-5 feet tall, with relatively unbranched, green to tan to reddish-brown, ridged, hairy stems
Leaves are opposite, lanceolate, dark green, with toothed margins and a pointed tip; leaves are rough textured above, hairy underneath; leaves have short petioles
Head inflorescences are 1.5-3 inches in diameter, produced at stem tips and are usually held upright, with 10-18 yellow to deep yellow or yellow-orange ray florets (“petals") that are slightly puckered (longitudinally), and have a few notches in their tips; the 10-75 or more yellow-orange disk flowers form a cone-like shape in the center of the head
Bracts below the head are in 2-3 overlapping rows, lanceolate, with pointed tips and covered with fine hairs
Flowering is from late spring through mid-autumn
Found on prairies, pastures, right-of-ways, in opens woods
Can distinguish by the more upright flower heads, and the bracts below the inflorescence that are in only 2-3 overlapping rows, and have a shorter pointed tip, rather than the multiple rows bracts with long, tapering pointed tips for the perennial sunflower (Helianthus) species

(Updated November 27, 2022)