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Native Plant Society of Texas

Western Sunflower

Helianthus occidentalis

Other common name(s):

Fewleaf Sunflower, Naked-stem Sunflower

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

2
to
5
ft.

Spread

1.5
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Deep, Dry, Moist, Rich, Sand

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Low, Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Wildlife Benefit

Bees, Birds, Butterflies

Maintenance

Drought tolerant. Has a narrow taproot with shallow rhizomes. Tolerates a variety of soils, but avoid unamended heavy clay soils. Spreads over time by creeping rhizomes to form large colonies. Divide every 3-4 years to control spread. Taller plants may need some staking or other support. Native habitat: upland prairies.

Description

Blooms June-November. Forms a rosette of basal leaves around the base of the stalk, with 1-4 pairs of small, widely spaced leaves on the lower stem. Flower stalk terminates in 1-12 flower heads, 8-22 ray florets surrounding numerous disk florets.

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Clump Division Divide mature plants so that each division has a root and a leaf bud. https://arboretum.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2015/03/PI_Sunflower-Western.pdf
Seed Stratification Seed is damp stratified by mixing it with equal amounts of vermiculite and lightly dampening in a plastic bag or container. Store this seed for 3-4 months in a cold room of 34-36 degrees F. Grown in a greenhouse. Container Type and Volume: Multipot #3, #4, or #6 are used. Cell volumes are 6, 9, and 6 cubic inches, respectively. Growing Media: Sterile, Pro-Mix PGX. Add vermiculite and perlite at a 10:1 ratio. Mix in 5 ounces of Osmocote, slow release fertilizer, 17-6-10, per cubic foot of soil. Ensure flats are tapped down to prevent settling. Total Time to Harvest: 7-11 months, depending on weather and plant/root development. Sowing Date: Three crops are started in the greenhouse with the first in late December and the last no later than the end of March. Sowing/Planting Technique: Sow the seeds by hand by broadcasting. Try to sprinkle 3-5 seeds per cell. Seed purity rates vary from year to year. Thus, it is easier to thin than to transplant. Cover the seeds to one times their depth with the same growing media. Use a dibble board or roller to gently press seed and cover soil in the cell. Set the greenhouse temperatures to be 70-80 degrees during the day, and 65-75 degrees at night. 75% germination is reached in about two and a half to three weeks. Plants must be watered by hand during germination. Set the hose on gentle shower to prevent seeds from splashing out. The first greenhouse crop will be moved to a hoop house in late January to February. To acclimate the plants, the irrigation rate is reduced to 50 ppm before moving and greenhouse temperatures are decreased to 55-60 degrees day. The second and third crops are moved directly to the shadehouse in April and May. Again, greenhouse controls and fertilization rates are adjusted in preparation for the move. Plants that reach 8-10 inches in the shadehouse will require pruning also. Harvest Date: Flats may be unplugged in October or November as long as most of the tops have died down. Seed is collected by hand. The plant flowers from approx. July through August. Seed is harvested mid to late September. After drying seed is run through a screen of 8 and a bottom screen of 1/20. This seed may be cleaned. https://npn.rngr.net/renderNPNProtocolDetails?selectedProtocolIds=asteraceae-helianthus-270
Seed No Treatment Sunflower seeds do best when planted directly into the garden after the last frost date has passed. Plant seeds 6 inches apart and 1 inch deep in a shallow trench. Sunflowers need water the most during their growth period, which is 20 days before and after flowering. Fertilizer: Sunflowers typically do not require fertilizing because they grow so easily, but a slow-release granular fertilizer can be added to poorer soils as the better the soil, the bigger the flowers will grow. Days to Maturity: Sunflowers bloom around 120 days Harvesting: In addition to storing the flowers in a vase to lighten up a room, Sunflower seedlings can be harvested once the flowers are done blooming and have spread their for culinary use. Tips: Do not grow Sunflowers near potatoes or pole beans, as their leaves, seeds and stems emit a substance that inhibits some other plant’s growth. https://www.ufseeds.com/product/western-sunflower-seed/SUWE.html?srsltid=AfmBOopWEaAMeUQ0_qzuFYyTRwybl2xWyWMPX3G4UXAT9AZxQijUG_SM

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason