Rarely surpassing 3 feet in height, western sunflower is one of the shortest sunflower species native to the US. The showy, yellow flowers are brazenly on display for pollinators because they sit atop wiry stems with most of the leaves located at the base (other common names are fewleaf and naked-stemmed sunflower). The cheery perennial thrives in full sun and sandy to average soils with medium moisture. It adapts to part sun and to areas with shallow-rocky, dry, or clay soils; however, heavy clay should be amended before planting. The plant spreads by creeping rhizomes to form large colonies that are helpful for preventing erosion, but it's one of the most well-behaved sunflower species. Western sunflower is native to the central and eastern portions of the US. The common name and occidentalis, which means "western," refer to the plant's origin in the western hemisphere. The genus name comes from the Greek words helios, meaning "sun," and anthos, meaning "flower." 
 
Sunflowers are keystone native plants that sustain 76 insect species along with birds and other wildlife. Each composite flower head is a powerhouse because the hundreds of tiny disk florets open sequentially in a spiral pattern from the outer edge of the disk inward, which allows pollinators to visit the same flower head multiple times. In addition to hosting numerous Lepidoptera species, sunflowers provide wildlife habitat, help control erosion, and serve as food for humans and wildlife. To learn about the importance of planting different varieties of sunflower species in one area, copy and paste the following link: https://www.wildflower.org/magazine/native-plants/sunflower-squad-goals. 
 
Native habitats include disturbed areas, dry meadows, rocky open woods, and fields. Use in sunny borders, native plant or cottage gardens, naturalized areas, and prairies.
 
Plant Characteristics:
Grows 2-3' and, rarely, 4' tall. Spread is 1.5-2'.
 
Prefers average, dry to medium, well-drained soils but adapts to a wide range of soils, including poor, sandy soils, humusy loams, and clays. Tolerates dry soils and drought.
 
Prefers full sun and tolerates part sun.
 
Blooms August-September with panicles of 1-12, 2" flower heads. Disk florets have yellow, 5-lobed, tubular corollas. Around the base of the flower head are several overlapping floral bracts. Fertile disk florets give way to oblongoid achenes.
 
Long-stalked, ovate to oblong-lanceolate basal leaves up to 8” long form a foliage clump 4-8" tall. Flowering stems have 1-2 pairs of opposite leaves below and a few alternate leaves above.
 
Root system consists of narrow taproot and shallow rhizomes.
 
Reproductive System: the disk florets contain both male and female parts (perfect/bisexual). Members of the sunflower family are protandrous, meaning the male parts mature before the female parts to reduce the likelihood of self pollination.
 
Wildlife Value:
Host plant for 78 species of Lepidoptera larvae, including silvery checkerspot butterfly, gorgone checkerspot, painted lady, great leopard moth, and at least 12 specialist species. Pollinators include 6 specialist bee species, long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, miscellaneous flies, and occasional butterflies. Birds and mammals eat the seeds. Insects use the stems and leaves for habitat. Ants are attracted to the extrafloral nectar. 
 
Medicinal, Edible, and Other Uses:
The Southern Ojibwa used a poultice of the crushed roots to treat bruises and contusions.
 
The seeds are used for human food, bird food, and industrial and cooking oils. 
 
Resources:
Go Botany: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/helianthus/occidentalis/
 
Illinois Wildflowers: https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/ws_sunflower.html#:~:text=The%20peduncles%20of%20these%20flowerheads,sometimes%20produced%20from%20these%20rhizomes.
 
Missouri Botanical Garden: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=277200#:~:text=Uses,dry%20soils%20and%20preventing%20erosion.
 
National Wildlife Federation: https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/Plants/1561
 
Petitti Garden Center: https://www.petittigardencenter.com/10-keystone-perennials-to-support-ohio-wildlife/