Plant · GBIF taxon 3119209
stiff-hair sunflower
Helianthus hirsutusAlso known as Hairy Sunflower, Coarse Sunflower, Rough Sunflower
Stiff-hair sunflowers form dense colonies in open woods, prairies, and sunny roadsides across central and eastern North America. Their stout stems and rough, opposite leaves are covered in stiff, coarse hairs that deter herbivorous insects while protecting against water loss. Bright yellow flower heads bloom from late summer through early autumn, providing critical late-season nectar for native bees and abundant seeds for songbirds.
PerennialWildflowerPollinator Magnet
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- White-tailed Deer
- American Goldfinch
- Grasshoppers
ThreatsHabitat loss, invasive weed competition, fire suppression
HabitatsPrairies, open woodlands, savannahs, forest edges, roadsides
Life spanPerennial
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAsterales
- FamilyAsteraceae
- GenusHelianthus
- SpeciesHelianthus hirsutus
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
- Identification: Feel the upper leaf surface and stem, which are noticeably rough and bristly like sandpaper.
- Observation: Look for long-horned bees and butterflies visiting the blooms during peak afternoon sunlight in August and September.
Frequent Companion (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Image unavailablePollinator 
Close Relative (c) KENPEI, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Tero Laakso, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative homeredwardprice / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
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