Sawtooth Sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus
Description:
The Sawtooth Sunflower is a native, warm-season perennial herb belonging to
the family Compositae. It is one of the tallest of the sunflowers, reaching a
height of up to 2.5 meters. It tends to grow in large clumps.
Leaf: Leaves are long, lance-shaped, sharply
toothed, slightly rough above and hairy below. The leaves on the upper part of
the plant are alternate, while those on the lower part are opposite.
Flower: The ray flowers are neutral; the disk
flowers are perfect and fertile. The heads are numerous, 3 to 7 cm broad, with
10 to 20 deep yellow rays. The disk is yellowish.
Blooming months: August - October
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Discussion:
The presence of this species was used as an indicator of good corn land.
Distribution: Common in draws and thickets
in dry to wet prairies and pastures, also along roadsides, ditches, and
streams; found throughout the tall grass region. Sawtooth Sunflower occurs in
the eastern
Native
or Introduced to
Location:
N41048.677’ W089040.972’
Copyright:
© 2004 Nancy Trainor,
References:
Keller, Carolyn. Prairie Plants of
Ladd, Doug. Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers, The Nature Conservancy, 1995.
Peterson, Roger Tory. Wildflowers Northeastern/North Central
Mohlenbroch, Robert H., and John W. Voigt. Prairie
Plants of
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