Heliopsis 'Burning Hearts'

Bring on a balmy summer show with an ember-like display of Heliopsis 'Burning Hearts'. Through summer, each bud opens to reveal petals which ombre from red to orange, like molten lava or the setting sun on a scorching summer’s day! Adding further depth to the display, these blooms set themselves above the dark mass of purple-bronze foliage which adorns each stem. This False Sunflower has all the glorious summer colour that a real sunflower brings, but does so on a more compact and sturdy scale! This fantastic plant is much easier to handle than true sunflowers, which can get a little too tall, especially where space is limited. Over time, Heliopsis 'Burning Hearts' forms a clump which produces more flowering stems each year, establishing to reach a height of around 1m. Vibrant daisy-like flowers in warm colours are really set alight above that deliciously dark purple foliage and black stems. And just like true sunflowers, it is adored by bees and other pollinating insects. What’s not to like?  

Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra 'Burning Hearts' is a prolific bloomer once it’s established, producing its gorgeous flowers non-stop from mid summer through to early autumn, making this a really hardworking border plant. With its manageable size, you could even enjoy it in a container. It loves a sunny spot, where it would look great with other hot colours for a really zingy feel: think rudbeckia, helenium, crocosmia, cannas and dahlias. Or, use it to add contrast in a cooler theme with purple and blue, it looks incredible with purple salvias for instance. To get the maximum flower power through the season, just deadhead the spent blooms of Heliopsis 'Burning Hearts' – you’ll have weeks and weeks of colour!