Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Bit of Honey False Sunflower: Marbled Leaves and Golden Blooms
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Bit of Honey false sunflower looks good even before it blooms. Its leaves are near-white laced with a network of deep green veins, giving the whole plant a marbled look. From midsummer into early fall, golden yellow, semi-double flowers 3 to 3½ inches wide sit on top of that bright foliage.
It stays lower and denser than most false sunflowers, which makes it far easier to fit into a lavender garden.
Bit of Honey at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Heliopsis helianthoides 'Bit of Honey' |
| Flowers | Semi-double, 3 to 3½ inches, golden yellow |
| Foliage | Creamy white with deep green veins |
| Size | 24 to 28 inches tall, 26 to 30 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early July, peaks late July, six to eight weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 9 |
| Cut flower | Excellent |
| Wildlife | Great for butterflies and bees; moderately deer resistant |
Two kinds of contrast
Golden flowers against purple lavender is the obvious one. The subtler one is foliage. Bit of Honey's pale, white-veined leaves pick up the silvery tones of lavender foliage, so the plants look connected even when neither is in bloom. That makes it a strong choice for a bed you look at all season, not just in July.
At about 2 feet tall in a dense, bushy mound, it fits the middle of a border or works as a stand-alone accent at a corner of a lavender planting. It shares lavender's sun and drainage needs and takes dry spells once established, so you can water both on the same light schedule.
Care tips
- Site: full sun is best; light part shade is tolerated.
- Soil: average and well drained.
- Deadheading: cut spent flowers, or cut fresh ones for bouquets, to extend bloom.
- Reversion: if a shoot comes up with plain green leaves, cut it out at the base so it does not take over.
- Winter: very hardy in Michigan. Cut back in late fall, or leave seed heads for birds and cut back in spring.
It is noted for resistance to powdery mildew, a common problem for false sunflowers, and its strong stems resist flopping.
Plug tray or bare root
Choose the 72-cell plug tray for large plantings, cutting rows or potting up your own stock, or the bare root plant for adding a few to a home border. See each product page for current availability and the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a true sunflower?
No. False sunflower is a native prairie perennial that comes back every year, unlike annual sunflowers.
Does it make a good cut flower?
Excellent. The golden blooms last well in a vase, and cutting them encourages more.
Will the variegation fade?
The marbled pattern is the plant's main trait. Simply remove any all-green shoots that appear.
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