Description
Helenium autumnale | Common Sneezeweed
Common Sneezeweed, also known as Fall Sneezeweed, Autumn Sneezeweed, Helens Flower, Bitterweed, and Dogtooth Daisy, is a genus of about 40 species of annuals and deciduous herbaceous perennials in the daisy family (Asteraceae) native to the Americas, is an upright clumping wildflower. The name ‘sneezeweed’ was given based on the former use of its dried leaves in making snuff, inhaled to cause sneezing that would rid the body of evil spirits. And it is known as Helens Flower after Helen of Troy, where a legend says that these plants sprang from her tears!
Helenium autumnale is a native perennial found in much of the United States in moist to wet openings, edges, shores, and thickets. Plants have lance-shaped leaves along stiff, winged stems that bear yellow, daisy-like composite flower heads with large, showy ray flowers. The center is nearly spherical, projecting above the skirt-like whorl of petals, which often attracts bees, butterflies and other insect pollinators and provides a critical source of late season nectar. The plant’s stem branches near the top, resulting in one mature plant producing up to 100 blooms!
Sneezeweed can be cultivated in average to rich soils, needing moist to wet conditions and full sun. It requires partial to full sun and will get leggy if it’s getting less than six hours of sun per day. Plants can be cut back in early summer to force shorter, more-branched flowering heads. Flowering clumps can be divided every few years to maintain vigor and to spread to other areas of the garden.
Seeds germinate easily with heat, humidity and light.
Deer resistant. Makes a unique cut flower!
Type: Perennial
Sun exposure: Full sun
Mature height: 3-4 ft
Mature width: 2 ft
Hardiness zones: 4-8
