Helenium autumnale - COMMON SNEEZEWEED
An easy to grow and quite fast-growing perennial. Forms clumps of winged stems with leaf rosettes bearing bright yellow daisy-like flowers at the end of summer (branches form at the top only). The wild form of sneezeweed looks the best in wild meadows or prairies, pollinator gardens, rain gardens, deer resistant plantings or low maintenance plantings. It can be used in a conventional flower bed, but in overly rich (fertilized) soil it can become floppy - cut back in mid spring (May/June) for shorter stems and better branching.
This plant is poisonous to wild herbivores and livestock. The common name describes it's herbal use: Native Americans ground the flowers to make a powder that caused sneezing and would clear the head, relieve headaches and get rid of evil spirits. Helenium is a very showy late summer perennial and superb pollinator plant. Can be used as cut flower too.
It is one of the parent plants of varieties with copper, brown, red, yellow, and orange flowers as well as shorter stems. These hybrids are still named Helenium autumnale, or more often Helenium x hybridum or simply use the name of the variety. Hybrids also don’t require as much moisture. It’s good to divide clumps after 3-4 years and rejuvenate the plant (wild form and not highly-bred yellow varieties don’t require this as often).
Blooming Time: July-August
Size: 4-5’ high x 2-3 wide
USDA Zones: 3 to 9
Culture: Sun to half shade, rich, loamy soil, loam-clay, clay
Moisture Needs: medium-wet to wet soil, but can tolerate shorter droughts
Origin: Native in most parts of USA. Grows naturally in wet prairies and meadows, open moist woodlands, marshes, soggy thickets, wet fields, as well as along creeks and rivers.
Deer/Rabbit Resistant: yes/yes, it is natural rabbit repellent
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: excellent pollinator plant for butterflies, bees, wasps and pollinating flies
Attracts Hummingbirds: no, but attracts small birds
Pot Size: 3.5" x 4" perennial pot (1.22 pt/580 ml)
Helenium autumnale - COMMON SNEEZEWEED
An easy to grow and quite fast-growing perennial. Forms clumps of winged stems with leaf rosettes bearing bright yellow daisy-like flowers at the end of summer (branches form at the top only). The wild form of sneezeweed looks the best in wild meadows or prairies, pollinator gardens, rain gardens, deer resistant plantings or low maintenance plantings. It can be used in a conventional flower bed, but in overly rich (fertilized) soil it can become floppy - cut back in mid spring (May/June) for shorter stems and better branching.
This plant is poisonous to wild herbivores and livestock. The common name describes it's herbal use: Native Americans ground the flowers to make a powder that caused sneezing and would clear the head, relieve headaches and get rid of evil spirits. Helenium is a very showy late summer perennial and superb pollinator plant. Can be used as cut flower too.
It is one of the parent plants of varieties with copper, brown, red, yellow, and orange flowers as well as shorter stems. These hybrids are still named Helenium autumnale, or more often Helenium x hybridum or simply use the name of the variety. Hybrids also don’t require as much moisture. It’s good to divide clumps after 3-4 years and rejuvenate the plant (wild form and not highly-bred yellow varieties don’t require this as often).
Blooming Time: July-August
Size: 4-5’ high x 2-3 wide
USDA Zones: 3 to 9
Culture: Sun to half shade, rich, loamy soil, loam-clay, clay
Moisture Needs: medium-wet to wet soil, but can tolerate shorter droughts
Origin: Native in most parts of USA. Grows naturally in wet prairies and meadows, open moist woodlands, marshes, soggy thickets, wet fields, as well as along creeks and rivers.
Deer/Rabbit Resistant: yes/yes, it is natural rabbit repellent
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: excellent pollinator plant for butterflies, bees, wasps and pollinating flies
Attracts Hummingbirds: no, but attracts small birds
Pot Size: 3.5" x 4" perennial pot (1.22 pt/580 ml)