All flowers
Autumn Sneezeweed Wikimedia Commons
Asteraceae

Autumn Sneezeweed

Helenium autumnale

Tears and healing.

Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Helenium
Native to
North America
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
perennial
Height
3-5 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
moist, fertile
Water
moderate
Hardiness
3-8
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Despite its name, sneezeweed does not cause sneezing; dried leaves were once used as snuff to induce sneezing to expel evil spirits.
  • The genus is named after Helen of Troy, whose tears supposedly gave rise to the flowers.
  • Native Americans used sneezeweed tea as a remedy for fevers and intestinal problems.
  • The distinctive fan-shaped petals droop downward, giving the flowers a daisy-in-the-wind appearance.
  • Each plant can produce dozens of blooms over a six-week period in late summer and fall.

Color meanings

0

healing

1

resilience

Uses

  • border plant
  • pollinator garden
  • meadow planting
  • cut flower