I have this broadleaf plant that comes up everyyear in my lawn. I looks somewhat like a small sunflower. It has substantial tubers for roots. I haved searched the flower books of a fanatical flowergardener but can not find an ID.
After seeing this plant, and comparing to a plant in my yard that I grew from seed (supposedly Inula helenium), I'm becoming confused... How does one distinguish between Telekia speciosa and Inula helenium? Broader heart-shaped leaves on Telekia?
Don't know Telekia, but the most noticable things about Inula are its furry buds and the way the petals unwind from a spiral, fascinating. It also spreads itself around, leaning on its neighbours, but I haven't the heart to heave chunks of it out.
Some info on distinguishing them here (scroll down in both cases): http://ip30.eti.uva.nl/BIS/flora.php?selected=beschrijving&menuentry=soorten&record=Telekia speciosa http://ip30.eti.uva.nl/BIS/flora.php?selected=beschrijving&menuentry=soorten&record=Inula helenium
They look similar only if you do not see both together (I had such a chance in Carpatian region). The plant on the photos is Innula helenium. By the way it is usually much taller, about 2 meters high. Telekia is smaller, and most easy to tell them apart is to compare leaves, as said on the site which Michael gave the link to. I took photos of Telekia, will post them here when find.
Well, my plant actually seems to be Telekia speciosa, much to my surprise! By the way, Inula orientalis has dark furry buds (though unfortunately, I no longer have it), but Inula ensifolia hasn't, so it seems that characteristic may be variable by species? I must watch for the spiral-opening of the flowers - not something I've noticed! Thank you all very much for the information.
Without looking at links seems from plants I've seen you can tell the Telekia by it having lower leaves with heart-shaped bases rather than tapering.
Yes, I'll remember that - that is something that's very noticeable about my plant. Thank you. And so, to confirm, the plant which is the subject of this thread (the photos) is Inula helenium.
