Dancing Along The Trails

September 7, 2026

When I see these beautiful little sunflowers, they make me think they’re dancing along the trails where they live. Joyful flowers, Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus).

A Perplexing Bumblebee (Bombus perplexus) taking in some of the autumnal nectar of a Woodland Sunflower.

They’re native to southeastern Canada, and the north-central and eastern United States. Growing to 7 feet tall, its flowers are 2 to 4 inches across. Their underground system is roots and rhizomes, enabling them to create colonies. Bees, butterflies and other insects are attracted to their flowers, particularly as autumn marches on. Birds and small mammals enjoy the seeds.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

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