Leaf
Oceancetaceen (Alice Chodura), Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sneezeweed
Helenium autumnale L.
Also known as: Common sneezeweed, Helenium
Family: Asteraceae
80 to 150 cm tall
Beds and borders, moist to wet soil, full sun
Flowering: August – October
Full sun
Hardy to about -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its species name "autumnale" highlights its late flowering, which prolongs colour in beds well after most other summer perennials.
🍃 Leaves
Alternate, lanceolate, bright green, decurrent on the stem
🌸 Flowers
Flower heads yellow, orange or red-brown, with drooping ray florets toothed at the tip, domed brown centre
🍎 Fruits
Dry achene topped with scales
🪵 Bark
Not applicable — herbaceous plant
🗺️ Distribution
Native to North America
🐝 Value for pollinators
Late flowering very useful to bees and butterflies at the end of the season
✂️ Horticultural uses
Late summer and autumn beds, often combined with asters and grasses; good cut flower
⚠️ Possible toxicity
The whole plant contains sesquiterpene lactones (helenalin and related compounds) that are toxic if eaten, documented as dangerous to livestock (sheep, cattle, horses) and to dogs.
🌿 Other Asteraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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