Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii
Nuttall's sunflower, Nuttall's Sunflower
(c) Bob Nieman, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bob Nieman · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii (Nuttall's sunflower) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by numerous equal bracts and wet mountain habitats.
Nuttall's sunflower is a California native perennial found in the Great Basin, western Desert Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, and San Bernardino Mountains in damp meadows, springs, and streams at elevations of 1,200 to 1,750 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces yellow sunflower heads with dark brown to black disk centers. Growing with upright stems 30 to 150 centimeters tall that are smooth to slightly rough, it forms robust clumps in moist habitats. Its leaves are rough on the upper surface and short-hairy underneath, with lance-shaped blades 10 to 25 centimeters long that become smaller toward the top of the plant. The numerous flower heads are supported by smooth or slightly bristly stalks, creating dense clusters of bright yellow blooms characteristic of wild sunflowers.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; distinguished by numerous equal bracts and wet mountain habitats
Habitat and range
Habitat: Damp meadows, springs, streams
Elevation: 1200-1750 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, eastern Canada, New Mexico
Bloom period
Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii blooms Jun-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Encelia: Helianthus is herbaceous with soft stems; Encelia is a woody shrub with persistent branches.; vs Bahiopsis: Helianthus has soft herbaceous stems; Bahiopsis is woody-based with persistent woody stems.; vs Wyethia: Helianthus has smaller disk flowers and readily falling seed scales; Wyethia has very large 8-12mm disk flowers.; vs Rudbeckia: Helianthus has a flat or rounded yellow center; Rudbeckia has a tall dark cone-shaped center.; vs Venegasia: Helianthus dies back to ground level; Venegasia is a large evergreen shrub in shaded canyons.
Frequently asked questions
Is Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii native to California?
Yes. Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii bloom?
Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii blooms Jun-Oct.
What plant family does Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii belong to?
Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Helianthus.
What habitat does Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii grow in?
Helianthus nuttallii subsp. nuttallii grows in Damp meadows, springs, streams.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.