Plant · GBIF taxon 3119189
Sawtooth Sunflower
Helianthus grosseserratusAlso known as Thick-tooth Sunflower
Sawtooth sunflowers tower over native tallgrass prairies and moist meadows, spreading aggressively through vigorous underground rhizomes to form commanding yellow colonies. Their deeply serrated, drooping leaves catch morning moisture while multiple golden flowerheads open consecutively from late summer well into autumn. These blooms act as vital late-season fueling stations for migrating monarch butterflies and dozens of specialist native bee species before going to seed.
Tallgrass PrairieLate BloomerPollinator Magnet
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photoautotrophic (sunlight, water, soil minerals)
Predators
- American Goldfinch
- White-tailed Deer
- Stem-boring Beetles
ThreatsHabitat conversion, broadcast herbicide spraying, and displacement by invasive reed canary grass
HabitatsMoist prairies, riverbanks, wet meadows, ditches, and woodland edges
Life spanPerennial (stems annual; root systems persist for decades)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAsteraceae
- SpeciesHelianthus grosseserratus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Leaf Inspection: Look beneath the foliage for the prominent, coarse serrations and pale, finely haired undersides that confirm identification.
- Pollinator Watching: Visit flowering patches on warm afternoons in September to spot dozens of native long-horned bees collecting pollen.
Same Genus Dr Photographer / PUBLIC DOMAIN · public domain
Companion Plant (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Tero Laakso, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Tom Norton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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