betty, how loveley! do add your zone and location into your i.d. so we can relate to your experience and learn from you!
best,
mindy

Very beautiful picture and thanks for sharing.

I bought a small plant last year from a local nursery. It may be a different variety from the picture shown above. Mine is called False Sunflower or Heliopsis 'Bressingham Doubloon'. It has became my favorite. Soon after planting in early July, it started blooming profoundly. Too bad that rabbits love it so destroyed most of the branches and flowers. So by early August, we put a fence around the garden. In early May this year, I give it a little slow release Miracle grow (10-10-10), and boy, it grows to be 3-4' tall and full of stunning, big and SHOWY yellow flowers!. It has been in full bloom for over 5 weeks now, and there are still many new buds. It is in a full sun location. I plan to divide it next spring as a couple of my neighbors like these flowers too. I fully expect that it will continue with the good blooming into mid-late September. It did that last fall even with only a couple branches left from the rabbit attack. Good thing that I left enough space for the plant last year.

I just bought three small heliopsis 'Summer Nights' about a week ago to fill a corner in the back of my butterfly/hummingbird garden. The campanula that were there fizzled out after this year being their third in the garden, and penstemon 'Iron Maiden' behind it. So I'm hoping it'll fill out that corner quickly and have blooms in there for a long time. The penstemon may have another year in them, but they too are looking rather tired. I'm going to let them go to seed and collect them when the pods are ripe. Can't wait for the heliopsis to grow up!

Karen

Thanks Mindy--I live in Louisville,Ky.--zone 7.

Vivian--post a picture of yours too. I too am loving Heliopsis. I do not know which one I have, as I did not save the tag. I have a friend who loves Rudbeckia Indian Summer, but in my area they are not perennials. Next year she is planting Heliopsis to replace her Indian Summer flower beds--so they will return year after year.

I am impressed with Heliopsis. The flowers last so long and I have not had to deadhead so far. So far no disease on mine either. I have another one that is two years old and 4 feet tall and still blooming like crazy. I do have to stake them.

Betty

I forgot to share this about my Heliopsis. I was in the hospital for 10 days in early June, following a freak accident and had to have a total hip replacement. During my hospital stay, my tall Heliopsis fell to the ground and never missed a beat. When I arrived home, I had a friend stake it up, thinking it would break for sure. It is very tough--she staked it up and it has not stopped blooming since early June. There are at least 50 flowers on that one plant right now.

Betty

I love these too. If you like these, try Rudbeckia 'Henry Eilers.' It's tall too and tough!

I will try to post some pictures once I figure out how:)

Hi Vivian,

I will try to walk you through posting a picture. I may not explain it well though. Take a picture and transfer it to your computer, and then it will be in a file on your computer. Go to www.photobucket.com and sign up--it is free. Then click on --Upload Images---That will take you to your computer and then search for the picture, and then click-- Open-- on your computer and that will then Upload the picture to Photobucket. After the picture is uploaded on photobucket you will see it. Then click the picture and this will open a page on Photobucket and on the left side of the screen you will see--Share This Image---.Then click --HTML Code until you see the word --Copied--. Now you are ready to post the picture on Gardenweb. When you are typing on Gardenweb under message--right click and you will then see the word--paste-.. Click on paste and you will then see a lot of writing from Photobucket and that is the picture. You will not see the picture until you click--Preview Message. There are members who can explain this better than me--but hopefully this helps.

Betty

Hi Betty,

Thanks so much for the help. I will take some pictures this weekend and post them.

Vivian

betty, i think your heliopsis missed your love and was so glad to have you back that it was determined to show off its flexibility and not break when it was righted!now that's a loyal plant!
best,
mindy
hope you're feeling much better.

I grow Heliopsis 'Summer Sun". My only problem is this year it is covered in aphids - bleach.

It's not impacting the plant any - I have blooms earlier than usual, plus the plants are way taller than usual too. But the aphids are sure nasty looking. I try to hose them off whne I can.

I hope you mean "bleah" and not that you treated the aphids with bleach. :)

I have some variety of Heliopsis (probably "Summer Sun") and it's been blooming up a storm this year in several different locations - really carrying the perennial garden through periods where not too much else was flowering.

A very good long-flowering plant.

Mindy, Thanks, that made me feel so good. The surgery was 7 weeks ago this Saturday, and I am returning to work part time starting tomorrow. I own a cleaning business and after going through major surgery, I am amazed at how far I have come so fast. My PT is also amazed.

I have had no problems with aphids. I am also amazed at how long the flowers last and I have not had to deadhead the blooms yet!!! This is one perennial I would suggest others at least give a try.

Betty