Douglas' Sunflower, Little Sunflower, False Sunflower, Oneflower Helianthella, Douglas' Helianthella: Helianthella uniflora var. douglasii

Little sunflower, also known as false sunflower, is an attractive perennial wildflower suitable for the woodland or shrubland garden, especially in drier climates. The one to several stems arise from 20-100 cm high from a woody base. The herbage is variable, consisting either of many minute hairs, many longer, stiff and spreading hairs, or occasionally lacking hairs. The lowest 1-2 pairs of leaves are opposite, while the upper ones are alternate. The leaves are rough to the touch with 3 nerves or main veins in the blade. They range up to 15 cm long and up to 5 cm wide and are lanceolate to elliptical in shape. The lower leaves are more oblanceolate and smaller than the upper leaves.

The flower heads are usually solitary with the yellowish central disk 1.5-3 cm wide. The 13-21 rays are yellow and measure 2-4.5 cm long. The leafy involucral bracts are lance-linear in shape with rounded to pointed tips. They are covered with rough hairs.

Little sunflower is found in open woods and brushy areas at moderate elevations.

Little sunflower may be found east of the Cascade Mountain crest, from British Columbia, south through Washington to Oregon and east to Montana, Nevada and New Mexico.

Close-ups of the flower head and a stem leaf of little sunflower as seen from the slopes of Steptoe Butte in eastern Washington.........June 22, 2009.

This photo at left shows little sunflower as seen along forest road #43 near the northern forest boundary of the Umatilla N.F. to the west of Anatone, WA.........July 7, 2008. The photo at right shows a flower head of little sunflower as seen along FS Road #2230 between Mount Pisgah and East Point, Ochoco National Forest.........June 13, 2015.

These 3 photos show close-ups of the flower head, stem leaf and involucral bracts of little sunflower as seen along forest road #43 near the northern forest boundary of the Umatilla N.F. to the west of Anatone, WA........July 7, 2008.

Little sunflower in bloom in a patch of forest on steep, open slopes along Forest Road #39 about 10 miles south of the junction with Forest Road #3965, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.......June 11, 2018.

Two close-up images of the flower heads of Douglas' sunflower as seen along the Mother Lode Trail #808A atop Lookout Mountain, Ochoco National Forest.........June 25, 2017.

Little Sunflower as seen at left on south-facing slopes of Kamiak Butte, Kamiak Butte County Park, Whitman County, Washington..........June 11, 2013. The photo at right shows little sunflower blooming on drying slopes along the South Prong Trail #821, Black Canyon Wilderness......June 17, 2019.

The image at left shows Douglas' sunflower beginning to bloom along the Roads End Trail in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness..........August 19, 2011. The image at right shows Douglas' sunflower growing amongst tall, introduced grasses alongside forest road #7300, Wenatchee National Forest.........June 8, 2009.

Douglas' sunflower planted as a revegetation project on private lands on prehistoric Missoula Flood sandbars near the Kalispel Golf & Country Club, Spokane County, WA........May 25, 2023.