Helianthus pauciflorus

Helianthus pauciflorus, called the stiff sunflower is a North American plant species in the sunflower family. It is widespread across the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the Great Lakes regions, and naturalized in scattered locations in the eastern United States and in much of southern Canada (from Alberta to Nova Scotia).

Helianthus pauciflorus is a perennial herb sometimes as much as 2 meters (80 inches) tall, spreading by means of underground rhizomes. Most of the leaves are attached near the bottom of the stem. One plant can produces 1-10 flower heads, each head with 10-20 yellow ray florets surrounding at least 75 red or (less often) yellow disc florets.