Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Helianthus

Species:

Helianthus cusickii

USDA Symbol:

HECU2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb , Subshrub

Height:

50 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★★★ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, bees, butterflies

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from deep taproot and rhizomes following fire; adapted to sagebrush steppe fire regimes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or rocky soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to arid regions, prefers open areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI