Woodland Sunflower
Helianthus divaricatus
Found in moist to dry woodlands and forests, forest edges. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you
100
Keystone
Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 100%
- Height
- 2–6 feet
- Spread
- 1–3 feet
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Dry to average
Space about 2 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 25 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count
Will it fit your yard?
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- Summer
Recorded in 15 West Virginia counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
1 of 3
Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.
Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 58 animals.
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Snowy OwlBubo scandiacus
- Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- White-eyed VireoVireo griseus
- White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis
- White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera
- Wood ThrushHylocichla mustelina
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius
Widespread birds also seen here (33)
Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.
- Alder Flycatcher
- American Goldfinch
- American Kestrel
- American Robin
- Belted Kingfisher
- Blue Grosbeak
- Blue Jay
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
- Cedar Waxwing
- Chimney Swift
- Chipping Sparrow
- Common Nighthawk
- Common Raven
- Cooper's Hawk
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Eastern Kingbird
- European Starling
- Fox Sparrow
- Great Horned Owl
- Mourning Dove
- Northern Flicker
- Northern Mockingbird
- Osprey
- Purple Finch
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Tufted Titmouse
- Turkey Vulture
- Wild Turkey
- Yellow-breasted Chat
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
74CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV
Genus host records with ranges including WV · Helianthus
- Chlosyne nycteisSilvery Checkerspot
- Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
- Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
- Adaina ambrosiaeAmbrosia Plume Moth, Ragweed Plume Moth
- Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
- Amyna strictaEight-Spot Moth
- Autographa precationisCommon Looper Moth
- Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
- Chlorochlamys chloroleucariaBlackberry Looper Moth
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Show all 74
- Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
- Cochylichroa hospesBanded Sunflower Moth
- Condica sutorThe Cobbler, Cobbler Groundling
- Cucullia speyeriSpeyer's Cucullia, Speyer's Paint
- Dichomeris aleatrixBuffy Dichomeris Moth
- Dichomeris flavocostellaCream-Edged Dichomeris
- Dichomeris inserrataIndented Dichomeris
- Dichomeris juncidellaOrange-Dotted Dichomeris
- Dichomeris leuconotellaTwo-Spotted Dichomeris
- Elophila obliteralisWaterlily Leafcutter Moth
- Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
- Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
- Euxoa messoriaReaper Dart, Darksided Cutworm, Dark-Sided Cutworm
- Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
- Feltia subgothicaSubgothic Dart
- Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
- Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
- Homoeosoma electellaSunflower Moth
- Hypercompe scriboniaGiant Leopard Moth, Great Leopard Moth
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Megalographa bilobaBilobed Looper Moth
- Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
- Nomophila nearcticaLucerne Moth, American Celery Webworm
- Nymphalis milbertiMilbert's Tortoise Shell, Fire-Rim Tortoise Shell
- Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
- Ogdoconta cinereolaCommon Pinkband Groundling
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
- Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
- Papaipema necopinaSunflower Borer
- Papaipema rigidaRigid Sunflower Borer
- Pelochrista scintillanaSpangled Pelochrista
- Phragmatobia fuliginosaRuby Tiger Moth
- Phtheochroa birdanaBird's Cochylid
- Phyciodes tharosPearl Crescent, Crescentspot
- Plagiomimicus spumosumFrothy Moth
- Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
- Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
- Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
- Rachiplusia ouGray Looper
- Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
- Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
- Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
- Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
- Spoladea recurvalisHawaiian Beet Webworm
- Stiria rugifronsSunflower Seedcropper, Yellow Sunflower Moth
- Suleima cinerodorsanaAshy Suleima
- Suleima helianthanaSunflower Bud Moth
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
- Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
- Vanessa virginiensisAmerican Lady, American Painted Lady
- Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
- Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
- Bucculatrix fusicola
- Bucculatrix magnella
- Bucculatrix needhami
- Carmenta ithacae
- Eucosma sombreana
- Herpetogramma aquilonalis
- Landryia matutella
- Pelochrista womonana
- Sitochroa dasconalis
69BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Helianthus
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
44Specialist beesPollen specialists
Pollen specialists · Helianthus
- Andrena aliciae
- Andrena asteris
- Andrena braccata
- Andrena chromotricha
- Andrena haynesi
- Andrena simplex
- Colletes birkmanni
- Colletes compactus
- Colletes rufocinctus
- Colletes simulans
Show all 44
- Diadasia enavata
- Dianthidium curvatum
- Dieunomia heteropoda
- Dieunomia triangulifera
- Dufourea marginata
- Hesperapis carinata
- Megachile fortis
- Megachile inimica
- Megachile parallela
- Megachile pugnata
- Megachile xylocopoides
- Melissodes bidentis
- Melissodes coloradensis
- Melissodes coreopsis
- Melissodes denticulatus
- Melissodes dentiventris
- Melissodes desponsus
- Melissodes illatus
- Melissodes manipularis
- Melissodes subillatus
- Melissodes trinodis
- Melissodes wheeleri
- Paranthidium jugatorium
- Perdita albipennis
- Perdita bruneri
- Perdita heliophila
- Perdita laticincta
- Perdita pratti
- Perdita swenki
- Perdita tridentata
- Protandrena andrenoides
- Protandrena piercei
- Protandrena simulans
- Trachusa zebrata
20BirdsRecorded eating Helianthus in West Virginia
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.
- Mourning DoveSeeds. 14 diet records
- Common Grackle8 diet records
- Wild Turkey4 diet records
- Brown-headed Cowbird4 diet records
- Red-winged Blackbird4 diet records
- American Crow3 diet records
- Canada GooseSeeds. 2 diet records
- House Sparrow2 diet records
- Northern Bobwhite2 diet records
- Red-headed Woodpecker2 diet records
Show all 20
- American GoldfinchSeeds. 1 diet record
- American Pipit1 diet record
- American RobinFruit. 1 diet record
- Downy Woodpecker1 diet record
- House FinchSeeds. 1 diet record
- Lapland Longspur1 diet record
- Song SparrowSeeds. 1 diet record
- White-breasted Nuthatch1 diet record
- White-crowned SparrowSeeds. 1 diet record
- White-winged Crossbill1 diet record
Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
Flies 8
- Anthrax halcyon
- Anthrax palliata
- Exoprosopa decora
- Geron rufipes
- Milesia ornata
- Robertsonomyia palpalis
- Systoechus vulgaris
- Zodion fulvifrons
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
Adult butterflies / moths 1
- Limochores taumas
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
Other wasps 4
- Cerceris rufinoda
- Leionotus arvensis
- Sphex nigricans
- Stictiella pictifrons
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Other insects
Birds that eat Helianthus 20
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
- Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula
- Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo
- Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
- American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Northern BobwhiteColinus virginianus
- Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalus
- American GoldfinchCarduelis tristis
- American PipitAnthus rubescens
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Downy WoodpeckerPicoides pubescens
- House FinchCarpodacus mexicanus
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
- White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis
- White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
- White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 3a–8b
- Soil pH
- Acidic to neutral
- Flower color
- Yellow
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “Summer” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition differs)
- Flower color · “Yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Hardiness · “Zones 3a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differs)
- Height · “2–6 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
- primary_flower_color · “yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil · “Good drainage; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
- Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “1–3 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Conservation status
| West Virginia rank | S5 |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| WV status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your yard?
Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.
Choose a county to begin.
Sources
- NatureServe Explorer
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025)
- West Virginia occurrence source
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- 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
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications