Sawtooth Sunflower is a tall, colony-forming prairie sunflower reaching 10 feet, with rough, saw-toothed leaves and golden yellow flowers. It spreads aggressively by rhizomes in moist to wet prairies, roadsides, and disturbed areas across the Midwest. Its seeds are an important fall and winter food for goldfinches, sparrows, and many small birds.
Best time to see a Sawtooth Sunflower
The best time to see a Sawtooth Sunflower is August–September, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 1,763 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Sawtooth Sunflower? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Sawtooth Sunflower sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spot a Sawtooth Sunflower? Identify it instantly.
Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.
Get HuckGet an alert when a Sawtooth Sunflower is spotted
Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.
Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.
Love plants? Get Huck field notes
Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.