Helianthus strumosus

L.

Pale-leaf Sunflower

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157635
Element CodePDAST4N1G0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusHelianthus
Other Common Names
Hélianthe scrofuleux (FR) Paleleaf Woodland Sunflower (EN) paleleaf woodland sunflower (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-09-12
Change Date1988-02-09
Edition Date2025-09-12
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Helianthus strumosus is a wide-ranging perennial herb found in woodlands, prairies, and roadsides. It occurs in eastern and central North America from Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and Kansas, United States, south to Florida and Texas. There are over 500 estimated occurrences, which face threats from development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, recreational activities, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Helianthus strumosus occurs in eastern and central North America from Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and Kansas, United States, south to northern Florida and Texas (FNA 2006, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Range extent was estimated to be over 3 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 500 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, recreational activities, invasive species, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (NatureServe 2025). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Helianthus strumosus grows in woodlands, prairies, and roadsides (FNA 2006).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest EdgeWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
VirginiaS5Yes
MichiganSNRYes
KentuckyS4Yes
IowaS5Yes
New YorkS5Yes
MaineSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
FloridaS3Yes
KansasS2Yes
MarylandSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
New JerseyS4Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
DelawareSHYes
VermontS2Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNANo
LouisianaSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
South CarolinaS4Yes
MississippiSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
North CarolinaS4Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
GeorgiaSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS2Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Threat Assessments

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (2)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Brush HeapOuachita National Forest4,205
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
References (8)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006c. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 21. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 8: Asteraceae, part 3. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 616 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  8. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).