Conservation of the Lakeside Sunflower

By Patrick Kelly, Horticulture Technician II

Now that the stage is set, let’s talk about Helianthus carnosus , also known as the Lakeside or Flatwoods sunflower. H. carnosus is native and endemic (meaning it’s found nowhere else in the world) to five counties in northeastern Florida. Most known populations are in roadside ditches that mimic the wet pine savannas where they naturally grow. These ditches are mowed somewhat regularly, a weak recreation of the natural fire cycle that would typically occur. This cyclical burning is essential for plants native to the Longleaf pine savanna, as it helps control invasive species that aren’t fireadapted and clears out woody understory shrubs that would otherwise shade out the plants below.

These unique sunflowers are critically endangered, with habitat loss being the leading cause. If we do nothing, they could become extinct in just a few generations, perhaps sooner. But we’re not just standing by! A collaboration between Bok Tower Gardens, the Zoo’s Conservation department and our Horticulture staff that began last year has made tangible progress toward preserving these flowers. What started as a grant proposal has turned into hands-on fieldwork, and I’m very grateful to my friend Chico at Bok Tower for including us in this effort.

Our first step, after months of coordination, was to survey historical population locations to assess current populations. These surveys occurred in late August during H. carnosus ’ peak bloom season. When not in bloom, the plants consist of small basal rosettes, making them hard to see and count, so the timing was crucial. After learning from Chico, several Horticulture staff members and I conducted additional surveys. Based on these findings, we identified the best populations for seed collection.

A month later, we returned to collect seeds. We were only able to collect from one property. Fortunately, this property had thousands of flowers—potentially the largest wild population of H. carnosus in the world. We snipped off dried flowerheads and placed them in mesh bags for transport. These seeds were sent back to Bok Tower for germination trials, guiding future steps to ensure the species’ survival.

We are fortunate to experience Florida’s unique flora and fauna. If this sparked your interest, learn about native plants, plant them and share your knowledge! Explore the natural areas we still have—they’re vital to understanding this incredible ecosystem. Plants are the foundation of all life on Earth.

Humanity has exploited natural resources to dominate the planet. It’s time to start giving back to the Earth that sustains us.