• Photo by: Jeannie Brodhead, Saracennia Chapter FNPS

Helianthus debilis subsp. cucumerifolius

cucumberleaf dune sunflower

Nomenclature

Common Name:

cucumberleaf dune sunflower

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Helianthus debilis subsp. cucumerifolius

Family:

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

2 to 4 ft high and equivalently wide.

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow with dark center

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Blooms year round but mostly during warm months

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Beach-front gardens.  Wildflower gardens. Groundcover.

Considerations:

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Availability:

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Propagation:

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Light:

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Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salt.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

circum-neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds, Mammals

Primarily pollinated by bees.  

Birds and small mammals eat the seeds.

Native Habitats:

Beach dune. Disturbed sandy areas both near the coast and inland.

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

This subspecies has a broad distribution that extends west into Texas and north into northern New England.  It is found broadly but sporatically in Florida.  Our map shows where herbarium specimens have been submitted, but it should be appropriate to plant this plant almost anywhere in the northern 2/3 of the state.  



To avoid inbreeding, do not plant this subspecies in a common garden with either the east- or west-coast dune sunflower.