Heliopsis helianthoides is a mouthful, but it basically means sunflower-like. (Helios was the Greek sun god.) And that's what these plants are. Although similar in looks, Heliopsis helianthoides is not the same as the perennial sunflower in the genus, and consequently it's been given the common name of false sunflower.Also known as oxeye sunflowers, false sunflowers are easy-growing herbaceous perennial plants that naturalize in grasslands and at the edge of woodlands. They are a native wildflower in a large portion of North America—everywhere except for the western third of the continent. In the garden, they're best started in the spring or fall, and they grow fairly quickly but likely won't bloom in their first year. False sunflowers feature triangular-shaped leaves and branching stems that allow the plants to grow in a bushy habit. The double or single daisy-like, yellow-orange flowers surround a cone-shaped, golden-brown center disk.
