Are you looking for a real eye-catcher in your garden around September/October? I first spied this gigantic yellow flower mass along a fence and probably would have passed it off as a coreopsis except that the blooms were eight feet off the ground. It wasn't until the following spring that I was blessed (or cursed?) with as many starts of this mystery flower as I wanted and promptly planted the cute little things. They grew like weeds all summer until finally the flashy clusters of daisy-like blooms emerged with a much-needed burst of fall color. Recently I discovered this monster daisy's name, thanks to Wildflowers of Texas," a beautiful identification book by Geyata Ajilvsgi. The Maximiliani Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) was named for a Prussian naturalist, Prince Maximilian.
One drawback is that it is an invasive perennial, sending runners everywhere, so be sure to plant it in a spot where you don't mind the invasive runners. I still allow it in my flower bed and just thin out the excess babies in the early spring. Grow it out in a field, along a fence, or under a crape myrtle. The branches help support the lengthy stalks, and the three-inch to four-inch bright yellow--ray flowers take over where the crape myrtle's blooms have waned.
Ask around, and you'll probably find someone who has plenty to share. You decide if this cheery, vigorous perennial is a beauty or a beast. It's all in the eye of the beholder and the hand of the gardener.
Dorothy Hersey, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas Cooperative Extension
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