Helianthus salicifolius 'Autumn Gold' is a a compact, mound-forming cultivar of willow-leaved sunflower that features profuse and densely blooming bright yellow flowers from late summer until the first hard frost of fall. Mature clumps of 'Autumn Gold' typically reach about 18-24" in height and width, and have a shrub-like appearance for most of the spring and summer due to their dense, narrow, willow-like foliage.
Helianthus is an important genus of plants for all kinds of pollinators, with bees and butterflies consuming the plant's nectar, and caterpillars using the plant as a host before they turn into butterflies. With all of that pollinator appeal, 'Autumn Gold' makes for just as excellent an addition to a pollinator garden as they do to a meadow or border planting. With such a compact size and a ton of ecological appeal in terms of pollen, nectar, and seeds that birds love, 'Autumn Gold' is an excellent, showy sunflower variety, perfect for the home garden.