Helianthus 'decapetalus'

That just says summer!

My crazy sunflower hedge looks like it is about to start blooming. Don't let me down helianthus decapetalus, I have very high hopes for you!

Thin leaf sunflowers have grown into this very dense 3 1/2 foot hedge. Can"t believe this was just five plants last spring. Also how much time I spent weeding the Bermuda grass out of this bed last year. Try growing through this, Bermuda grass! This might be my new favorite plant.

Now I'm thinking it was a mistake not to thin these. So plan B today was to prune them. If I waited any longer I'd have to use a hedge trimmer! Bright side: if there's a whole thick strand of this maybe they will hold each other up and they won't flop over as much when the wind blows like they dis last year.

I have Helianthus Decapetalus issue. So... last year this was five plants. Now there are dozens and dozens. Do not know if they came from rhizomes or dropped seeds. Does anyone know the best way to thin these out and if I should do it now or can I wait a bit?

I took a look and it is just a massive rhizome colony situation. I'm gonna live life on the edge and let it grow. Can always prune thin later. I think it just wants to be a huge dense strand and that is fine because it will choke out the Bermuda grass that's all up in that space.

One of these years, I will finally master the art of staking and/or early shearing to prevent massive floppage of tall perennials. This year is clearly not the year. But I do get some interesting results, like this helianthus stalk that has somehow not fallen over. It is at least ten feet tall. That’s a six foot fence and a small Crepe Myrtle behind it.