An explosion of golden yellow flowers combined with a manageable height makes this a superior selection. Despite its name, this plant can be found literally blanketed in flowers in the late summer and into the fall when most other Helianthus are past. Flowers form on upright, self-supporting stems but instead of the typical tall sunflower, Helianthus 'First Light' forms a nice, compact clump of fuzzy, linear leaves topping out just above 3 feet.
The sweetly-scented tubular red flowers of this native honeysuckle often attract hummingbirds to the garden throughout the summer. Flowers are followed by bright red fruit, attractive to birds. A twining vine, it needs a trellis or fence for support.