Pale-leaved Sunflower, Rough-leaved sunflower, Pale-leaf Woodland Sunflower, Helianthus strumosus L., Native Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Paleleaf Woodland Sunflower	Helianthus strumosus L.	Aster (Asteraceae)	Upland	Late Summer to Autumn
Other names and notes	(Rough-leaved sunflower). This sunflower has opposite leaves that are thick and rough with noticeable veins and shallow teeth and pale beneath. Leaves can be alternate at the top of the stem. They are either entire or have very shallow teeth. Leaf stalks on lower leaves are at least 1/4" long and with wings, the smooth stem may have a whitish bloom. It grows from 3 to 8 feet in height. The central disk is yellow with the entire flower 1 1/2" to 4" wide and having 8 to 15 yellow rays. Helianthus is Greek for "sunflower". Strumosus is Latin for "swelling".

	Below: Left - the smooth stem with a whitish bloom. Center - the upper leaf. Right - a lower leaf - not the winged stalk.

Notes: This plant is native to a number of counties in East Central Minnesota, including the Metro area, and a few counties in the south. This plant is very similar in appearance to H. hirsutus, the Woodland Sunflower, but is less widely distributed. Eloise Butler recorded planting it on May 1, 1912, plants obtained from Kelsey's Nursery in MA. Martha Crone did not list this plant as being present in the Garden on her 1951 plant inventory. There is some difference and confusion in the common names applied to this plant. Some sources such as the Minnesota DNR List of Native Plants don't refer to it as "Pale-leaved" but call it the Woodland Sunflower which conflicts with an alternate name for H. divaricatus. Another reason to use scientific names.

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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

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