Full Sun
Deer Resistant
Pollinator Friendly
Helianthus 'Lemon Queen': A Regal Glow for the Late Season Garden
Graceful and golden, Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' rises like summer royalty in the late-season border, cloaked in pale lemon-yellow flowers with dark golden centres. This statuesque perennial sunflower blooms from midsummer well into autumn, attracting pollinators in droves and bringing warm light to the garden as the days begin to shorten. With its commanding height, branching habit, and soft pastel colouring, Lemon Queen offers both drama and elegance—an essential vertical element for sunny borders and naturalistic meadows.
Plant Characteristics:
Uses and Benefits: Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' is ideal for the back of borders, wildlife gardens, and prairie-style plantings where height and late-season colour are desired. Its nectar- and pollen-rich blooms are beloved by bees, butterflies, and native pollinators, while the seeds that follow attract birds. Use it to create living screens, accentuate fence lines, or provide seasonal structure in large-scale plantings. Despite its stature, it rarely needs staking and thrives with minimal care.
Companion Plants: Pair Lemon Queen with Aster 'October Skies', whose mounded habit and lavender-blue blooms complement the sunflower’s vertical form and colour. Add Panicum 'Northwind', whose strong, upright blades lend architectural contrast and echo the golden tones in autumn. Finish with Eutrochium 'Baby Joe' (formerly Eupatorium), whose mauve-pink domes add richness and pollinator appeal to the late-season display.
Care Instructions: Plant in full sun in average to moist, well-drained soil. Water regularly during establishment; once mature, Lemon Queen is quite drought-tolerant. Deadhead to prolong flowering, or leave blooms to set seed for birds. Cut back to the ground in late fall or early spring. Divide every 3–4 years to rejuvenate and control size.
History: A cultivar of Helianthus x laetiflorus, ‘Lemon Queen’ was selected for its refined flower colour, excellent branching, and reliable late-season performance. While most sunflowers are known for their bold yellows, Lemon Queen softens the look with its primrose hues—offering a gentler, more elegant interpretation of the classic summer bloom.
Final Thoughts: Towering, luminous, and buzzing with life, Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' is a perennial that reigns supreme in the late summer garden. Whether anchoring a sunny border or brightening a meadow planting, it offers golden elegance, vertical drama, and vital habitat in one effortless package. A true queen of the prairie, lighting up the landscape with regal charm.
