Sneezeweed? A blooming workhorse of a plant!

Sneezeweed  (Helenium) is an undeserved name for this great plant.   Years ago the leaves and flowers of the plant were ground up for snuff, thus causing a sneeze.  Sneezeweed blooms from late summer up until frost, nonstop.  A great wildlife plant for bees and butterflies.  In fall when some of our perennials are drying up, the sneezeweed will provide food for those butterflies and bees.  Then in winter birds will pick over the seeds.  Sneezeweed is also a great plant for medium to wet soil (will not tolerate dry soil).  A must for clay soils.  Another plus, Sneezeweed is deer and rabbit resistant.  At present we have three varieties of sneezeweed in stock.  They are Mariachi Bandera Sneezeweed, Mariachi Sombrero Sneezeweed and Mariachi Salsa Sneezeweed.

 

Look at all the buds on this year old Sneezeweed:

Helenium or Sneezeweed
Photo by Trees Today Nursery