Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Account for Resindot Sunflower - Helianthus resinosus   Small
Members of Asteraceae:
Members of Helianthus with account distribution info or public map:
Google Images
Section 6 » Order Asterales » Family Asteraceae
Show/Hide Synonym
AuthorSmall
DistributionSouthern and central Mountains, eastern and southern Piedmont, and locally on the Coastal Plain near the Cape Fear River. The gap between the Mountains and Piedmont appears to be real, but for unknown reasons.

NC to northern FL and MS.
AbundanceUncommon in the southern and central Mountains; rare to uncommon in the eastern and southern Piedmont, and locally uncommon in the southwestern Coastal Plain.
HabitatMesic to dry woodlands, openings, wooded margins, and roadsides. The natural habitats in NC have not been described well, other than the "standard" dry and semi-wooded/edge habitats typical for most sunflower species. However, that "typical" habitat description does not account for the odd distribution and relative scarcity of the species.
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting June-October.
IdentificationPlants are variable in height, from 2-7 feet, the stems often clumped together. Leaves are lance-shaped to ovate, scabrous above and soft hairy beneath, opposite on the lower part of the stem and alternate above. The key character of this sunflower is the abundant yellow resin dots or glands on leaves and heads. In addition, the flowers are very large for a native sunflower, often 3 inches across from ray tip to ray tip.
Taxonomic CommentsLong known as H. tomentosus, but that name actually applies to another species.

Other Common Name(s)Resinous Sunflower, Hairy Sunflower, Gray Sunflower
State RankS3? [S3]
Global RankG4G5
State Status
US Status
USACE-agcp
USACE-emp
County Map - click on a county to view source of record.
Photo Gallery
photographercommentsphoto_linkcountyobsType
B.A. SorrieWadsworth Road near creek crossing. 8 Aug 2020. MoorePhoto_natural
Select a source
AllHerbaria
Individual
Website
Select an occurrence type
AllCollection_naturalLiterature_naturalPhoto_naturalSight_natural