This North American native is a rarely seen, Perennial Sunflower. Growing in that more "wild" form, it is one of the classic North American Prairie Wildflowers. Once cultivated for its edible rhizome by Native Americans, it is now widely and popularly cultivated as a meadow wildflower or garden ornamental.
For early blooms start indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost and transplant carefully after the weather has warmed considerably. Freezing seeds before planting are helpful with germination. You can also start outdoors in a prepared garden bed in late spring when the weather is warm.
Keep moist until the seeds sprout. Plants will need to be tied to stakes or trellis so they don’t fall over when they get tall. Diatomaceous earth or other silica-containing nutrients are mixed into the soil to make stalks grow stronger.
Common Names: Prairie Sunflower Species Origin: US Native Wildflower Type: Native Wildflowers Life Cycle: Perennial USDA Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 US Regions: California, Mountain, Arid/Desert, Plains/Texas, Midwest, Northern, Northeast, Southeast Stratification: Cold/Wet for 4 Weeks Germination Ease: Stratify 4 Weeks Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun Height: Up to 8 feet
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