Helianthus Lemon Queen

I love this - but I suppose it needs full sun?

Hiya Lauram, This is a lovely plant the photo doesn't show how nice it really is! The flowers are easy on the eye, a lovely soft lemon!It also grows quite fast, it reaches over 6ft. It prefers full sun, but, as long as it had a few hours it should be fine, in some shade. It also likes moist soil, and tends to flop over in dry conditions so it would need staking. Why not give it a go its worth a try.

well....I think my pear tree needs to come down and that will give me some sun next to the driveway. So perhaps that would be a good time to attempt to grow those plants that everybody else can grow but I can't due to shade! It's a difficult area to plant in because it's in shade for quite a bit of the day, but during the hottest hours of the late morning and afternoon it gets sun. Everything has to be fairly tolerant of its growing conditions or it just won't survive. I am still trying to find plants that fit. And I try to mostly stick to native plants so that naturally limits my choices. AND, there's rock underneath, in some spots only 5 inches or so below the surface, so I've planted some Oenothera speciosa to fill in the bare spots. I have a feeling I may regret that because I started with 3 plants last summer and now have maybe 30. The Rudbeckia did well but took over and I hated the flopping. Since it reseeds itself well I still have lots of it, but I rehomed some and have ordered the shorter R. fulgida. It is very much a work in progress. I have been fighting with that area for 2 years and it has made me appreciate my shade garden!
OK enough complaining, I'm going to eat dinner.

That amount of sun should be enough for the Helianthus. I have one plant of Oenothera and like you I'm sure there will be more this year as I didn't take the seedheads off in time! It's a nice plant especially the pinkish/peach one (I cant find that one anywhere to buy) but they are a nuisance!

You have convinced me! I just found some Lemon queen seeds on eBay for 99 cents & I'll be bidding on those.
There's something to be said for those plants that spread - they can drive you crazy but it does help in difficult spots!

99 cents, that's maybe about 60p in our money? Now that's a bargain! Oh.. ok, I convinced you! Sounds better when you blame somone else! LOL!! The plants are good for difficult spots, it's only when they start appearing in other parts of the border, or even in another border, that makes me think maybe not such a good idea to have planted this in the first place. But I knew what it was like before I put it in the border so its my own fault, if it goes walkabout!

A mass of those would be so amazing. I also found (not on ebay, unfortunately, but from one of the online GCs) Helianthus simulans, which reaches EIGHT FEET! & blooms through November. I suppose that'll be another must-have; I can just picture it by the fence on the side of the house. I love having plants that bloom well into autumn.

That looks good too! Have you considered Helianthus tuberosus? (Jerusalem Artichoke) If they become conjested, you could always dig them up for dinner!

I might as well - that's a good idea.

so I just looked online for the tuberosus and found a nursery in Kentucky that sells it and also some other Helianthus species. Prices are good, only $5 per plant which really isn't bad. I suppose I'll just have to place an order this afternoon. My willpower is now officially shot.

I'ts edible.. that makes it grocery! Does that makes it sound better? LOL! That's a good price! If the plants are big enough, you could split it up and replant all the other tubers, that way you might only need one plant!

lovely - really bright and eye catching

The photo is not a very good one Paul, it really does look better than that. The leaves are very dark green and the flowers are soft lemon!

I really need to buckle down and get those seeds started. I just hope I marked which packet was the Lemon Queen and which was the other type since I tore the envelope open too quickly and some scattered.

I think it looks great the picture - I will look for one of these myself

I took lots of cuttings as my friend wanted some but they have'nt rooted or I would've offered some to you too!

Trying to work out which is which, that should be fun Laura. LOL! Happy sowing!