Plant profile - Helianthus 'Lemon Queen'

Sunflowers are popular garden plants perhaps better known as annuals of exceptional stature.  Helianthus x laetiflorus ‘Lemon Queen’, to give it its full name, is a hardy perennial and reaches a height of around 6 feet when it flowers in August and September.  With lemon yellow flowers it’s incredibly reliable, requiring little attention and we find despite its height never requires staking.  It bulks up fairly quickly which is great if you’re wanting quick results but it will carry on expanding so an annual check on it progress is needed to prevent it dominating a border.

‘Lemon Queen’ is a popular garden plant and has been granted an RHS Award of Garden Merit.  Requiring a sunny spot and tolerant of most soils it’s probably the perennial sunflower most often spotted in gardens.  ‘Loddon Gold’ is another popular choice for those that like double flowers.  This also holds an RHS Award.

Helianthus salicifolius, known as the willow-leaved sunflower is grown more for its tall feathery foliage than its flowers.  It grows to over 6 feet tall.  Good partners for perennial sunflowers include dahlias, rudbeckias, and grasses such as Miscanthus or Stipa.