Helenium

Helenium
Helenium autumnale
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Helenieae
Genus:	Helenium L.
Species
See text.

Helenium is a genus of about 40 herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to North America and Central America. They bear yellow or orange daisy-like flowers. A number of these species (particularly Helenium autumnale) are commonly known as sneezeweed based on the former use of its dried leaves in making snuff, inhaled to cause sneezing that would supposedly rid the body of evil spirits.

Helenium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Phymatopus behrensii.

Helenium Hybrid (height: 3ft; space: 2'ft; zones: 4-9; bloom season: summer) brilliant yellow petals surround spherical brown cones covered with golden pollen. Flowers appear for six weeks from mid to late summer and attract butterflies and in droves. Providing a splash of color when many other perennials are starting to fade, it makes a wonderful companion for ornamental grasses, Phlox and Liatris. Great cut flower!

Care: grow in full sun average to moist soil with good drainage. Water well on planting and regularly until extablished. Drought tolerant.

Species

Helenium species include:

• Helenium amarum (Raf.) H. Rock
• Helenium atacamense Cabrera
• Helenium autumnale L.
• Helenium bigelovii A. Gray
• Helenium bolanderi A. Gray
• Helenium flexuosum Raf.
• Helenium glaucum (Cav.) Stuntz
• Helenium hoopesii (see Hymenoxys hoopesii)
• Helenium microcephalum DC.
• Helenium puberulum DC.
• Helenium urmenetae (Phil.) Cabrera
• Helenium virginicum S. F. Blake

References

• Everitt, J.H.; Lonard, R.L., Little, C.R. (2007). Weeds in South Texas and Northern Mexico. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press.  ISBN 0-89672-614-2

Helenium hybrid "Moerheim Beauty" [1]