Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra 'Summer Nights' is a mouthful. This delightful descendant of prairie natives features sturdy, wine-purple stems supporting bronze-tinted foliage and golden-orange flowers with a red center. This cultivar was selected and named by a native plant specialist at North Creek Nursery and is perfectly hardy in the Chicago region. Growing up to 6 feet in height, lower displays can be obtained by cutting the plants back to half their height in June. Plant in full sun with plenty of air movement — this variety is prone to powdery mildew and rust when air movement is restricted by nearby buildings or plants. In very fertile soils, the plants have a tendency to lodge (fall over). To avoid this, do not apply fertilizer.

Heliopsis are members of the Asteraceae or sunflower family. This particular cultivar is a selection from native wild-collected seed and is attractive to butterflies, while not particularly browsed by deer.