Botanical Name: Helenium autumnale
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Common Name: Sneezeweed  
Plant photo of: Helenium autumnale
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Water Saving Tip:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Perennial

 

Height Range

1-3', 3-6'

 

Flower Color

Orange, Yellow

 

Flower Season

Summer, Fall

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full

 

Water

Medium, High

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Clay, Loam

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Well-drained, Moist

 

Soil pH

Neutral

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Meadow

 

Accenting Features

Fall Color, Showy Flowers

 

Seasonal Interest

Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Perennial Border, Foundation

 

Special Uses

Cut Flowers, Mass Planting

 

Attracts Wildlife

Butterflies

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer:

  • Description

  • Notes

Helen's flower is a stately perennial, growing 3 to 5 feet tall and nearly as wide, with rayed flowers appearing in late summer well into the fall. Petal colors are yellow to orange to red, depending on the variety. Leaves are fine and ovate and are prominent on the entire flower stem, giving the plant a bushy look. Its common name is derived from its history as a plant used to make a form of snuff, not from any allergenic properties.
Grow in well drained, loamy to rich soils in full sun. though it likes a loamy soil, over fertilization or over watering will result in vigorous stem growth but not more flowering, and may cause the plant to be floppy. It you pinch back the plant in early June, you can increase flowering (becuase there will be be more stems) and reduce its height. Benefits from staking.