Helianthus debilis var. debilis
East Coast Dune Sunflower
Beach Sunflower
Florida native
Endemic to Florida
This attractive ground cover can be found on coastal dunes and in landscapes along the east coast of Florida from St. Johns County to the keys. The two subspecies with decumbent stems have limited ranges, H. debilis debilis on the east coast of Florida and H. debilis vestitus on the west coast from Pinellas to Lee Counties. East coast dune sunflower (H. debilis debilis) has stems that are rough and short hispid (have short stiff hairs).
H. debilis cucumerifolius has erect stems and ranges from the central peninsula through the panhandle, west into Texas and up the Atlantic coast to Maine, plus West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Each flower is borne on a long stalk and consists of yellow ray florets surrounding a head of reddish-purplish disk florets. Blooms appear all year. The alternate leaves are entire to shallowly and fairly evenly toothed.
Helianthus debilis is a member of the Asteraceae - Aster family.
Other species of the Helianthus genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Helianthus agrestis - SOUTHEASTERN SUNFLOWER
Helianthus angustifolius - NARROWLEAF SUNFLOWER
Helianthus debilis var. vestitus - WEST COAST DUNE SUNFLOWER
Helianthus radula - RAYLESS SUNFLOWER
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Oct 06, 2022