July 7, 2025

Dancing with glee in the dappled sunlight, a Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus). One of many in bloom up here right now. Native to central and eastern North America. An herbaceous perennial in the Aster (Asteraceae) family that can grow 5 to 7 feet tall. As you can see in my photo, it has sessile, opposite leaves.

This Sunflower attracts a wide variety of pollinators with its pollen and nectar, and is a host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis), Gorgon Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone), and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui). And the seeds are enjoyed by many birds, small mammals, and even a few insects.

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