Research conducted and descriptions written by Burley Middle School 6th grade students in 2023 with minor editing by RCA staff.
Coolest flower on the block, go near it and you will stop! Is also known as the ox-eye daisy, smooth oxeye, smooth sunflower, false sunflower, and Heliopsis helianthoides. It has small bright yellow petals and in the center, it has brown seeds, so it looks like a sunflower. It can grow from 2 to 5 feet tall, and the flowers bloom between May and August. It is found in fields, pastures, and along the edges of woods and roads. It likes well-drained soil and full sun or part shade. The ox-eye sunflower has a lot of medicinal uses, like for the common cold, cough, fever, respiratory diseases, and more. It can tolerate drought conditions and dry soils, and is a showy flower that attracts pollinators. Birds use the seeds as a winter food source while the plant’s stems provide cover for beneficial insects.