How much sun do Heliopsis need?
It prefers full sun, but will tolerate partial shade as long as it receives at least four to five hours of sun a day. A number of Heliopsis cultivars are available commercially. Summer Sun’ (also known as ‘Sommersonne’) is one of the easier cultivars to find at our local garden centers. Heliopsis can be grown in either full sun or part shade, but it performs much better in full sun.
Should Heliopsis be cut back?
Pruning: In early spring, cut back dead growth from the previous season before new growth emerges. In late spring, plants can be cut back by one-third to encourage a compact habit and more branching, resulting in more flowers and plants that are less prone to flopping. This will delay bloom time by a couple of weeks. Most people say don’t prune in the fall. Late winter/early spring generally is the best time. Pruning stimulates new growth and that’s not what we want at this time of year because the plants are storing energy for the winter and this will stress them out.