Helenium

( hel - LEEN - ee - um )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Sneezeweed, this genus of flowering herbaceous perennials need full sun and regular water. The colorful flowers will attract butterflies to your garden. They bloom profusely in summer and fall, and are great when paired with ornamental grasses. Centers are commonly brown, and are surrounded by yellow, orange, red or copper petals. Use Sneezeweed flowers in mixed beds and borders, raised planters and containers, or as specimens in cottage, pollinator, native, or informal gardens. Take care when planting these flowers in the landscape, as plant parts are toxic to humans and pets if ingested.

Helenium Species and Varietals

The genus Helenium is a member of the plant family Asteraceae and includes around 40 species. The genus is named for Helen of Troy. The best growing zones for Helenium vary depending on the species; for more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Helenium amarum (Yellowdicks, Yellow Sneezeweed, Fiveleaf Sneezeweed, Bitter Sneezeweed, Dwarf Helenium, Slender-Leaved Sneezeweed, Yellow Dog Fennel)
This species is native to the south-central United States and northern Mexico. It reaches between 8 and 28 inches tall when in bloom, and produces yellow flowers. This species is considered invasive across much of the eastern and southeastern United States. where it colonizes pastures and roadsides.

Helenium autumnale (Autumn Sneezeweed, Large-Flowered Sneezeweed, Common Sneezweed)
This species grows best in USDA hardiness zones 3-8 or Sunset growing zones 1-24 and is native to most of North America. Individual plants reach up to 5 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide when in bloom. Flowers are yellow with yellow centers.

Helenium bigelovii (Bigelow's Sneezeweed, Sneezeweed)
Native to California and Oregon, this plant grows best in USDA hardiness zones 5-8 or Sunset growing zones 1-10 and 14-24. Gets 2-3 feet tall and 1 foot wide, with yellow flowers. Free flowering varieties include 'The Bishop' and 'Tip Top'. Cultivar 'Summer Cinnabar' produces red flowers with gold and maroon centers.

Helenium bolanderi (Coastal Sneezweed, Bolander's Sneezeweed)
This species is native to Oregon and California and grows well in USDA hardiness zones 7a-9b. It prefers growing along the coast. These plants can reach up to 56 inches tall and produce yellow flowers with brownish-purple centers.

Helenium spp. Hybrids (Hybrid Sneezeweed, Hybrid Helenium)
This group includes plants that grow best in USDA hardiness zones 3-9 or Sunset growing zones 1-24 and have flowers in red, yellow, orange, copper, and rust. Varieties are outlined below.

'Adios'
With purple-brown cones and downturned petals.

'Baudirektor Line'
4-5 feet tall and 2 feet wide, with brown-red flowers.

'Beatrice'
Yellow petals around a yellow and brown cone.

'Butterpat'
Flowers are light yellow with deep yellow centers. 4-5 feet tall, 2 feet wide.

'Coppelia'
Orangey copper flowers with a brown center. Compact variety; 3 feet tall, 1.5 feet wide.

'Crimson Beauty'
Deep red blooms with brown centers. Compact plant.

'Double Trouble'
Fully double yellow blooms. 3 feet tall, 1.5 foot wide plant.

'El Dorado'
Large brown central cone surrounded by lemon-yellow petals.

'Mardi Gras'
4-5 feet tall, 2 feet wide. Flowers are yellow, mottled with red and orange.

'Moerheim Beauty'
Copper-red flowers with brown centers.

'Rubinzwerg'
Rusty red flowers with a yellow-brown center.

'Waltraut'
Has copper-brown petals around a dark center. 4-5 feet wide, 2 feet tall.

'Wyndley'
Butter yellow flowers with a yellow-brown central disk.

Helenium pinnatifidum (Southeastern Sneezeweed, Savanna Sneezeweed)
This species is native to the southeastern United States, and produces yellow flowers with yellow and green centers. Plants reach 32 inches tall when in bloom. Southeastern Sneezeweed grows well in USDA hardiness ones 8a-10b.

Helenium puberulum (Rosilla)
This species is native to California and Baja California and grows well in USDA hardiness zones 7-10. These flowers grow in moist habitats like riverbanks and meadows. They can be annual or perennial plants, depending on where they are grown, and produce yellow flowers with raised, rounded brown centers.

Caring for Helenium

Take care when planting these flowers in the landscape, as plant parts are toxic to humans and pets if ingested. Sneezewort is typically grown from seed, which can be sown on moist ground in fall on the soil surface. Do not cover seeds with too much substrate, as they need a good amount of light to germinate. They will germinate in springtime about two weeks after the soil warms up. Plant these flowers in a space in the garden that receives full sun. Ideally, they should be getting between 6 and 8 hours of direct sun each day for best flowering and performance. Soil should be well-draining, moderately fertile, and with a pH in the range of 5.5 to 7.0 (slightly acidic). Consider planting Helenium in a spot in the garden that is a bit depressed, as they enjoy moist conditions. They are tolerant of clay, as long as it is amended to be well-draining. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain soil temperatures, and increase soil moisture retention.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with a application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Pruning Helenium plants is simple: remove spent blooms and any unsightly foliage. Late in the season, these flowers can have a tendency to get leggy, especially if they are grown in too much shade. Plants can be cut down to about four inches tall at this point, and a flush of new growth and flowering will be triggered. Varieties with taller stems and larger blooms may need to be staked to remain upright. All species will form clumps over time, which will need to be divided to maintain plant health. For instructions on how to divide Helenium plants, see the Propagation section below. Helenium flowers are short-lived perennials, lasting in the landscape for 203 years before needing to be replaced. These flowers will freely re-seed, however, providing plants indefinitely.

Propagation

Helenium, or Sneezeweed, can be propagated either by using division, cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting or division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Helenium plant, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Helenium by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) peat moss and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new flower.

Propagating Helenium by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads are left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to drop seeds, harvest them. Cut the heads off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will release the seeds. Once the seeds have all been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
Water the prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place seeds in the prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with a spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 14-21 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Helenium by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil, compost, and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in spring, and needs to be done every three to five years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Gather your materials. Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the roots. Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water them in thoroughly, ensuring that good drainage is occurring.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout the following growing season.

Helenium seed head.

Helenium seeds are small, dark, and produced abundantly.

Problems and Pests

Certain species of Helenium are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Helenium plants can have issues with the following pests and diseases in the landscape: