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Smooth Oxeye

Heliopsis helianthoides

49
Good

Native to West Virginia (estimated). How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
3–6 feet
Spread
2–4 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 3 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 11 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 and fall
Fruiting season
Fall

Recorded in 16 West Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 82 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (45)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Care

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

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

2CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Heliopsis

  • Homoeosoma electellaSunflower Moth
  • Papaipema rigidaRigid Sunflower Borer
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
Fruit begins
Fall
Fruit ends
Fall

What its natural habitat tells you

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

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

West Virginia rankNot available
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Sources