Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ – Perennial Sunflower

This hybrid has become the most popular perennial sunflower that we offer. One of its parents is Stiff Sunflower, H. pauciflorus, a morphologically complex and confusing species. The other is Jerusalem Artichoke (H. tuberosus). Hybrids between these two species are classified as H. ×laetiflorus. ‘Lemon Queen’ is intermediate in height between its parents and, while it spreads, it’s not as tenacious as Jerusalem Artichoke. Look for ‘Lemon Queen’ at the back of the perennial border between the nursery and our vegetable garden – it puts on a show in late Summer.

Like most sunflowers, ‘Lemon Queen’ is very popular with all kinds of bees and other pollinators. We’re not sure if it produces viable seed (because it’s a hybrid, it may not), so we’re not sure if it provides food for songbirds, like goldfinches.