Rough oxeye
(Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra)
Information
Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
not listed
NatureServe
NNR - Unranked
SNR - Unranked
Minnesota
not listed
Wetland Indicator Status
Great Plains
FACU - Facultative upland
Midwest
FACU - Facultative upland
Northcentral & Northeast
FACU - Facultative upland
Description
Rough oxeye, also called smooth oxeye or false sunflower, is a 2′ to 5′ tall, erect, perennial forb that rises from a creeping rhizome with fibrous roots. There are three varieties of this plant. The center of distribution for this variety is the upper Great Plains. It is the only variety found in Minnesota.
The stem is erect, occasionally branched, even bushy on open situations. The upper part of the stem is rough to the touch due to minute, stiff hairs. The lower stem is less rough.
Leaves are opposite, both on the main stem and within the inflorescence. They are triangular egg-shaped, roughly like an equilateral triangle. They are on leaf stalks that can be 1 ⁄16″ to ⅝″ long, those of the main leaves averaging ½″. The blades can be 2⅓″ to 4¾″ long and ¾″ to 2″ wide and taper gradually to a pointed tip. The main leaves are usually 2¾″ to 4″ long and 1″ to 1 9 ⁄16″ wide. They are conspicuously veined. The upperside is rough to the touch due to minute, stiff hairs. The underside is less rough. The margins are coarsely toothed.
The inflorescence is 1 to 15 erect flower heads on 3½″ to 10″ long, leafless stalks at the ends of the stems.
The flower head is 2″ to 3½″ wide and has 8 to 18, usually 12 to 15, yellow ray florets. The disk is cone-shaped, ⅓″ to 1″ wide, and has 10 to 75 slightly darker yellow disk florets. There is no floral scent.
Unlike true sunflowers in the family Helianthus, the ray flowers are fertile. They remain attached to the head after they shrivel and become papery (see photo below).
Height
2′ to 5′
Flower Color
Yellow ray florets, slightly darker yellow disk florets
Similar Species
Habitat
Dry. Fields, prairies, woods, waste places. Full sun.
Ecology
Flowering
July to September
Pests and Diseases
Use
Distribution
The counties in light green on the map have records or observations of the parent species Heliopsis helianthoides.
Nativity
Native
Occurrence
Common
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Division
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Subdivision
Spermatophytina (Seed Plants)
Class
Order
Asterales (Sunflowers, Bellflowers, Fanflowers, and Allies)
Family
Asteraceae (Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies)
Subfamily
Asteraceae (Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies)
Tribe
Heliantheae (Sunflowers and Allies)
Subtribe
Zinniinae
Genus
Heliopsis (Oxeyes)
Species
Heliopsis helianthoides (False Sunflower)
The species Heliopsis helianthoides has two, three, or four children (subtaxa), depending on the source.
USDA PLANTS recognizes four varieties, and Heliopsis helianthoides var. occidentalis is the only variety that occurs in Minnesota. NCBI recognizes one variety, one subspecies, and one variety of that subspecies.
World Flora Online recognizes two subspecies and one variety of one of the subspecies.
GRIN, ITIS, Flora of North America, and Plants of the World Online recognize two varieties, and Heliopsis helianthoides ssp. scabra is the variety that occurs in Minnesota. The eastern variety is var. helianthoides. The leaf underside is hairless (smooth) or sparsely covered with minute, short, stiff hairs (glabrous or minutely scabrellous). The western variety is var. scabra. The leaf underside is moderately to densely covered with minute, short, stiff hairs (moderately to densely scabrellous).
iNaturalist lists three varieties and citizen science observations of all three varieties in Minnesota.
Subordinate Taxa
Synonyms
Buphthalmum melissoides
Heliopsis canescens
Heliopsis helianthoides ssp. occidentalis
Heliopsis helianthoides ssp. scabra
Heliopsis helianthoides var.occidentalis
Heliopsis laevis var. scabra
Heliopsis minor
Heliopsis scabra
Heliopsis scabra var.intermedia
Heliopsis scabra var.scabra
Kallias dubi
Common Names
false sunflower
heliopsis
oxeye
rough oxeye
smooth oxeye
smooth ox-eye
The western variety Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra is sometimes called “smooth oxeye,” but this is a misnomer. It suggests that the leaves are smooth, not scabrellous. A very few sources, including iNaturalist, use the more appropriate name “rough oxeye.”
Photos
Visitor Photos
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Greg Watson
Bill Reynolds
Smooth Oxeye
Here is a Smooth Oxeye or False Sunflower head. This wildflower just started showing up in ditch rightaway around my property.
Minnesota Seasons Photos
Slideshows
Slideshows
Heliopsis helianthoides smooth oxeye
Frank Mayfield
Videos
Visitor Videos
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Other Videos
Oxeye Sunflower - Heliopsis helianthoides in bloom at Ion Exchange
Ionxchange
Sightings
Visitor Sightings
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Nicole Rojas-Oltmanns
9/16/2025
Location: Lake Bemidji State Park
Greg Watson
5/27/2022
Location: Root River State Trail - Lanesboro to Whalan
Smooth Oxeye flowers along the trail.
Bill Reynolds
6/18/2023
Location: Pennington Co. MN
Here is a Smooth Oxeye or False Sunflower head. This wildflower just started showing up in ditch rightaway around my property.
Minnesota Seasons Sightings
Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center
Carver Highlands WMA, South Unit
Charles A. Lindbergh State Park
John Peter Hoffman Spring Brook Valley WMA
Minnesota Valley NWR, Rapids Lake Unit
Mound Spring Prairie SNA, North Unit
Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR, Hoffman Unit
Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR, Rengstorf Unit
Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR, Touch the Sky Prairie Unit
P.N. and G.M. Nelson Wildlife Sanctuary
Pembina Trail Preserve SNA, Crookston Prairie Unit
Sand Prairie Wildlife Management and Environmental Education Area