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Helianthus
‘First Light’
Fall is a season of the best of times and the worst of times for the ardent gardener. On the one hand colors abound in the landscape with fiery foliage hues and sparkling fruit and berries providing a kaleidoscope of viewing pleasure. On the other hand, the flowering season is essentially finished until spring. It’s a good thing there are a few season stretching plants that bloom well into October like Helianthus ‘First Light’.
‘First Light’ may not be aptly named considering it is one of the last plants to bloom in the garden. Beginning in late September, its plentiful collection of flower buds begin to open to reveal masses of light to medium yellow daisies that continue blooming with unbroken intensity as Halloween approaches. Its remarkable flower display holds its own, shining proudly and prominently along with the previously mentioned foliage and fruit displays leaving you with pleasant memories of the final garden flower display of the fall.
‘First Light’ is as much of a charmer out of flower as in. It forms a tight, upright growing plant that matures in the 3 to 4’ height range, perfect for the middle or back of any perennial border. Perfect for grouping to magnify its awesome fall flowering power, ‘First Light’ also sports some of the neatest looking foliage in the garden with long, dark green, almost needle-like leaves that really stand out. Tough and tolerant, this Zone 4 hardy plant is the perfect fall flowering sendoff for the garden and will help sustain you through the long winter until flowering begins anew in the spring.