The bright yellow sunflowers are unmistakable.
However, many plants can resemble the majestic plants in terms of their size, colour, and daisy-like flower arrangement.
In this post, we’ll look at several plants that look like sunflowers, their nativity, and their expert-recommended eradication methods.
1. Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
- Local Name: Sunchoke, Sunroot, and Earth Apple
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
The Jerusalem artichoke is a herbaceous perennial 6-10 feet tall from the sunflower family. It features rough, hairy stems and leaves and closely resembles the common sunflower with its yellow, daisy-like flowers.
It is grown for its bright blooms and as a vegetable. However, due to its rapid growth, shading ability, and high competitiveness, it has the potential of becoming a weed problem.
It is native to:
- Central North America
Removal Methods
- Mechanical Control: Pulling or mowing the young sprouts in spring can provide effective control for small infestations.
- Chemical Control: Apply herbicides containing 2,4-D, dicamba, or glyphosate for effective control where large infestations have already occurred.
2. Prairie Sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris)
- Local Name: Lesser Sunflower
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
The Prairie sunflower is an annual plant that grows up to 4 feet tall. True to its name, it is commonly found in prairies and desert areas.
This species looks very similar to the cultivated sunflower but is typically smaller and less robust. It has multiple branches, each topped with a bright yellow flower.
It is native to:
- Western North America
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or cultivation can be used to remove the weeds in fields or other unwanted areas.
3. Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
- Local Name: Common Cup Plant, Indian Cup
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
The Common cup plant is a perennial wildflower that can reach up to 9 feet tall. It is commonly found in meadows and prairies.
While it has bright yellow blooms that resemble small sunflowers, it also has square stems (unlike the round sunflower stem) that often hold water at the leaf bases, where the leaves join the stem to form a cup-like structure.
It is native to:
- Southeastern United States
- Canada
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Small infestations can be removed by pulling or digging before seed set.
- Chemical control: Apply a herbicide product containing glyphosate for effective control against the weed.
4. Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)
- Local Name: Maximilian Sunflower
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
The Maximilian sunflower is a big and robust perennial 3-10 feet tall and up to 4 feet wide. It’s known for its long blooming period in the late summer to fall. The plant can be found in prairies, rocky ledges, along streams, and other disturbed sites.
The weed boasts of numerous yellow flowers, each with over 15 rays on a tall, narrow stalk. While their imposing stature and flower arrangement are quite similar, the Maximilian has a smaller disk compared to the cultivated sunflower.
It is native to:
- Central North America
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Cut the stems to ground level and then apply mulch to suppress regrowth and new seedling growth.
- Chemical control: Apply a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate to remove large weeds completely.
5. Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum)
- Local Name: Compassplant
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
The Compass plant is a tall perennial that can reach up to 10 feet tall. It gets its name from its large basal leaves, which tend to orient toward the north or south direction to avoid direct sunlight.
The compass plant has tall, stiff stems topped with yellow sunflower-like blooms, similar to sunflowers but are smaller and have a green disk.
It is native to:
- East and Central United States
- Canada
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: For small infestations, hand-pulling or digging can be effective when done in the early growing season. Regular mowing or trimming depletes the reserves, reducing their growth. Controlled burning is also a viable option for more mature plants.
- Chemical control: Consider non-selective herbicides for more established plants.
6. Oxeye Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)
- Local Name: False Sunflower, Early Sunflower, Smooth Oxeye, Eastern Sunflower, Eastern Sunflower-Everlasting
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Oxeye sunflower is a herbaceous perennial that grows up to 5 feet tall and is commonly found in fields, meadows, prairies, and woodlands.
It is called “False Sunflower” because of its close resemblance to the actual sunflower, featuring bright yellow flowers and an orange-brown disk. However, the Oxeye has smaller and more upright flowers compared to the large showy sunflowers that also typically bend sideways.
It is native to:
- Eastern and Central America
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or digging the plants from the roots in early spring or autumn can effectively control the infestation. Regular mowing is also recommended to contain the spread of the weed.
- Chemical control: Herbicides like glyphosate can help eradicate oxeye sunflower.
7. Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria)
- Local Name: Golden Chamomile, Oxeye Chamomile, Dyer’s Chamomile
- Family: Asteraceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
The Golden Marguerite is a perennial clump-forming herb about 2 feet tall. It features fern-like green leaves with an aromatic chamomile scent.
It also has daisy-like yellow flowers surrounding an orange disk that looks like sunflowers. However, they are smaller compared to the large showy sunflower blooms.
It is native to:
- The Mediterranean
- Europe
- Western Asia
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or digging can provide effective control for small infestations.
- Chemical control: Spray the plants with herbicides like glyphosate for complete eradication.
Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.