What do Helenium leaves look like?
Helenium grows in clumps from a crown (L, in early spring) with lanceolate leaves with sparsely toothed to almost entire margins (R). Helenium blooms in dense clusters. Heleniums generally produce abundant velvet-textured flowers in dense terminal clusters over a long period of time. Helenium is a clumping perennial, so is well behaved, not spreading quickly. However, after 3- to 4-years the clump gets large and will benefit from dividing. Divide Helenium in spring making smaller, new plants to grow in other parts of your yard.Common Name(s): Helenium is a genus of annuals and herbaceous perennials having yellow or orange-to-red daisy-like flowers. The genus is named after Helen of Troy. Potential problems: powdery mildew, leaf spot, and rust. In high wind or heavy rain, the stalks may need support.Divide heleniums every 4 to 5 years to keep the plant healthy and productive. Another way of propagating is by taking approx. Remove all leaves except those from the tip and leave to root in a moist growing medium at about 20 °C in high humidity.
What is the common name for Helenium?
Common sneezeweed is also known as Helen’s flower, bitterweed, autumn sneezeweed, and false sunflower. The genus name, Helenium, refers to the famous Helen of Troy. All plant parts are poisonous. Sneezeweed grows at elevations of 1500 to 4,000 meters on moist slopes and well-drained meadows from western Montana and eastern Oregon southward to California and New Mexico. It starts growing in early spring and matures in the late summer and early fall.The common name of the sneezeweed comes from the former use of its dried leaves in making snuff, inhaled to cause sneezing that would supposedly rid the body of evil spirits. The sneezeweed is native to the United States and produces bright yellow blossoms. This plant prefers to be in full sunlight with moist soil.