'Dakota Gold' Helenium

Helenium is a native Texas wildflower that now has improved cultivars for garden use. Plants are Texas tough, continuing to grow and flower with little or no irrigation once established. Young plants are small flattened rosettes of foliage in the spring (or even late winter in southern locations) that develop strong tap roots. By mid- to late spring a canopy of thready dark green foliage develops and 1" diameter bright yellow composite flowers begin to appear. Flowering continues through autumn. The cultivar 'Dakota Gold' grows typically as low cushions of foliage topped with bright yellow flowers. Plants can be grown on most any well drained soil with a sunny exposure. Good for low input landscapes where irrigation water is limited.

Exposure: full sun

Height: 6 to 8 inches

Plant Type: reseeding annual

Planting Time: anytime from containers

Soil type: well drained slightly acidic soil is best, but it adapts to alkaline clay soils as long as drainage is adequate

Suggested uses: accent, border

Special notes: PVP 200600009 issued June 22, 2010.

For further information: Dakota Gold: a Texas Superstar 'weed-to-riches' story

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