Helianthella quinquenervis

Common name: Aspen sunflower; five-nerve helianthella
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Flower color: Clear lemon yellow
Bloom period: End of summer through fall
Fragrance: None
Height: 3-7 feet
Hardiness: USDA Zones 3-9
Light needs: Full sun to very light shade
Moisture needs: Average
Seasonal character: Covered in starry yellow flowers in fall; slow starter in spring.

I suppose the grass is always greener on the other side...of the Atlantic. As is so often the case, Europeans are using this superb sunflower in their gardens while only American botanists and wildflower enthusiasts seem to be aware of it. On a visit last weekend to the incomparable demonstration gardens at the Clos de Coudray perennial nursery near our home in Normandie, my eye was drawn by a towering plant covered with starry, 2- to 3-inch flowers of the clearest sunny yellow.



The willowy abandon of the plant contrasted wonderfully against a closely clipped golden-tipped chamaecyparis (see main photo), which subtly echoed the sunflower's sunny color. It was covered from head to foot in open, branched clusters of flowers in late September, with many buds still to open. Clearly, as a member of the sunflower tribe, this was a plant that would provide a feast for the birds in the winter months to come.

But perhaps the most wonderful thing about this plant is its shade of yellow, which is wonderfully clear without being pale, and absolutely devoid of any hint of orange or gold, the predominant hues in so many late bloomers. It's obvious that aspen sunflower would make a spectacular addition to fall bouquets. Combine it with grasses and rosehips for a stunning informal bouquet in a French galvanized flower bucket.

When I looked up documentation on aspen sunflower on the Internet, all the photos I found showed a typical, somewhat scraggly yellow composite (botany-speak for member of the aster family). Looking at those photos, you'd never guess how splendid this plant becomes in a garden setting, with adequate moisture and good soil. Although it's native throughout the "aspen belt" of the Rocky Mountains, north into Wyoming and Montana, it doesn't seem to suffer at all from the plentiful rains of Normandy. This adaptability to moisture levels ranging from semi-arid to downright wet makes it a terrific candidate for almost anyone's garden.

Clearly this is a plant that will be tough or impossible to find at your local nursery. But don't despair. Take a trip on the Web and you'll find several sources, including lots for seed. Like all sunflowers, this one should be easy (not to mention economical) to plant in this fashion. Aspen sunflower is a wonderful chance to do some pioneering in your garden...and catch up with what's on the cutting edge of French gardens!

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Products of Interest:
French galvanized florist bucket--medium
Sisal veil vase
Champagne perennial pruners
'Paris' garden fork

Enjoy some other plants in profile:

Cimicifuga simplex 'The Pearl'	Corylopsis glabra	Erysimum cheirii, E. allionii and hybrids	Euonymus europaeus
Hamamelis virginiana	Hamamelis x intermedia	Jasminum nudiflorum	Lonicera fragrantissima
Nepeta sibirica 'Souvenir d'André Chaudon'	Parrotia persica	Pulsatilla vulgaris (formerly Anemone pulsatilla)	Rosa x multiflora 'Ghislaine de Felighonde'
Sarcococca ruscifolia	Agastache rupestris	Alchemilla mollis	Anchusa azurea
Buddleia alternifolia	Calamintha grandiflora	Colchicum species	Helleborus niger
Hibiscus syriacus 'Bluebird'	Lespedeza thunbergii	Rosa x 'Gloire de Dijon'	Solidago rugosa
Tilia x europaea