Description
Ashy Sunflower (Helianthus mollis), also known as the Downy Sunflower, is a native, warm‑season perennial prized for its distinctive gray‑haired foliage and upright yellow‑gold blooms that reach 5–6 feet tall. Its rhizomatous root system helps control soil erosion, and while it prefers drier soils, it grows even taller in richer ground.
Blooming from July through September across hardiness zones 3–9 in the central and eastern United States, this aggressive wildflower attracts bees, butterflies, and a variety of game and non‑game birds with its abundant seeds, repels deer, and can be managed by removing flower heads before seed set to prevent unwanted spreading.
