Quercus

Smooth Oxeye

Heliopsis helianthoides

Native to Kentucky (estimated)

Care

  • Optional bloom tip: Removing spent flowers can prolong blooming.
Care sources
Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

2CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Heliopsis

  • Homoeosoma electellaSunflower Moth
  • Synchlora frondariaSouthern Emerald
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
22BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Heliopsis

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
10Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Heliopsis

  • Andrena aliciae
  • Andrena rudbeckiae
  • Megachile inimica
  • Megachile pugnata
  • Melissodes desponsus
  • Melissodes illatus
  • Melissodes subillatus
  • Melissodes trinodis
  • Paranthidium jugatorium
  • Protandrena albitarsis
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Flies 5
  • Anthrax halcyon
  • Exoprosopa fasciata
  • Exoprosopa fascipennis
  • Geron rufipes
  • Systoechus vulgaris

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Adult butterflies / moths 3
  • Pholisora catullus
  • Phyciodes tharos
  • Pontia protodice

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Other wasps 3
  • Bembix spinolae
  • Sphex nigricans
  • Sphex vulgaris

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Other insects 1
  • Lygaeus turcicus

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

No records yet · Ants · Beetles

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Asteraceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic to neutral
Flower color
Brown/copper, yellow or orange

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Smooth Oxeye

Conservation status

Kentucky rankNot available
Global rankG5
KY statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your spot?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

Choose a county to begin.

How to check your spot

Sources