This aboriginal perennial produces flock of colorful flower in late summer .
Add brilliant late - time of year color to your landscape with helenium , also known as sneezeweed . This Dominicus - know nativeperennialdelivers long - survive floral displays each twelvemonth from mid- to late summertime through fall . It features promising immature leafage that contrasts beautifully with velvety , daisy - like flower . The coinage has primarily yellow bloom while cultivar and loan-blend come in tone of orangish , yellow , dingy red , and golden brown . Most potpourri sport flowers with flower petal in a stiff skirt that spread out from the center of attention . Others sport flowers with downward - confront petals in the way of a shuttlecock .
Where to Plant Helenium
Select a site infull sunwith well - drained , acidic soil .
Sneezeweed is the most attractive planted as a group or as a mass planting . Use it to add vibrant late - summer and fall blooms to borders , cottage gardens , naturalized orbit , meadows , and prairie - flair landscapes . It is also a fantastic plus to a pollinator garden , drawing all sort of butterflies and bees .
How and When to Plant Helenium
To plant a potted glasshouse plant , dig a yap about twice the diameter of the potentiometer and about the same depth . Place the flora in the cakehole and fill in original soil to the top of the root glob . softly tamp down the territory and water it well . Keep it irrigate until the plant is established .
quad flora 3 to 4 feet asunder .
Helenium Plant Care Tips
Like most native works , genus Helenium requires little attention once ground . Some of the taller variety may want financial backing orstakingto keep plants erect .
Light
flora helenium in full sun ( at least six hours a day ) to push long - lasting show of colouration . Although some varieties tolerate afternoon tad , this plant typically becomes floppy and leggy in part - specter conditions .
Soil and Water
Helenium needswell - drained , more or less acidulent soil ( pHbetween 5.5 and 7.0 ) and moderate moisture , which makes sense because its native setting tends to be low - lying hayfield or the edges of dampish woodlands . Water at least every week , increase frequency in fourth dimension of extreme high temperature . Although interchangeable in looks to bothblack - eyed Susanandconeflowers , this industrial plant does not share their power to withstand drought . It also dislike boggy area , so verify the planting bed does n’t retain put up water .
Temperature and Humidity
This perennial , which is aboriginal to much of the US and southern Canada , is adjust to a broad grasp of climate from Zone 3 to 8 . While harsh winters are not a problem , the plant does poorly in area with extremely hot and humid summers .
Fertilizer
If planted in fat soil , the flora has no to moderate fertilizer needs . At the most , feed it a balancedflower fertilizeronce per class in the natural spring .
Pruning
Helenium grow quickly and will require frequentdeadheadingin order to produce new flowers and abridge its fondness for self - sowing . Pinch deer - tolerant helenium back in spring to make it shorter and bushier , possibly at the monetary value of delaying flowering . Once it ’s done bloom , cut the flower stalk down to the leaf . To provide food for wildlife during the winter , however , do n’t cut back the ejaculate straits until the spring to provide .
Potting and Repotting Helenium
Due to its size and the fact that the plant look best in groups in a naturalistic landscape , helenium does not make a good potted plant life .
Pests and Problems
Generally , helenium is not often affect by pests and disease . The most serious disease is aster yellows . It is make by a bacterial infection and can not be treated . Dispose of septic plants quick to forestall the disesase from circularize .
In humid conditions , powdery mildew may occur ; some varieties such as ' Butterpat ' are more prostrate than others . Poor drainage and the presence of pathogen in the soil can run to root hogwash . likely pests on helenium include aphid , leafhoppers , thrips , and spider jot . from time to time , slugs feed on the works .
How to Propagate Helenium
With the exclusion of varieties that areprotected by plant life patents , genus Helenium can be distribute by division or from seed . Even if you do n’t necessitate supererogatory plants , it is urge to divide genus Helenium every three old age in the leaping after it comes out of sleeping to ensure energy . jab out the chunk and fall apart it into smaller sections . Replant them at the same profoundness as the original plant and water supply it well until established .
Direct sow seed outside 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost . In a warm climate , you’re able to also plant the seeds in the drop . To get a head start on the growing season , pop out seed indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost . Using cell packs or flats filled with potting mix , press the source into the into soil but do not cover them as they need light to germinate . Keep them moist at all times at a temperature between 65 and 70 degrees F. Germination takes 10 to 21 day .
transfer the seedlings outdoors after the last spring frost .
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Types of Helenium
‘Mardi Gras’ Helenium
This loan-blend , which was break as a opportunity seedling of twoHeleniumcultivars , bear 2 - column inch daisies in robust orange launder with yellowish and red . Its good clumps may achieve 3 feet tall . geographical zone 4–8
‘Moerheim Beauty’ Helenium
Helenium’Moerheim Beauty ' seldom tops 3 feet . Its coppery - red beam flower surround a darker disc . geographical zone 4–8
‘Salsa’ Helenium
' Salsa ' ( trademark name : ' Mariachi ' ) is a dense , summary plant extend in promising orange and yellow bloom beginning in tardy summer . Zone 3–9
‘Dakota Gold’ Helenium
' Dakota Gold ' is an annual variety ofHelenium amarum , usually recognize as bitterweed . It only grows about 12 inches in superlative and has gold flower and finely textured foliage .
Helenium Companion Plants
Obedient Plant
Obedient plant(Physostegia virginiana ) is named for the way flowers that are moved to a newfangled position on the shank stay in place , much to the delight of kid . It bring forth showy , strange bloom spikes with small tubular flowers in blank , pinkish , or purpleness . They ’re excellent as cut flowers . Square stems carry duad of mid - unripe ( sometimes variegated ) , lancet - shaped foliage , toothed along the edges . Obedient plant tolerates most soils , but tends to become belligerent when given sizable water and full sun . It tolerates most soils . Zone 3 - 9
New England Aster
Because the robust New Englandaster(Symphyotrichum novae - angliae)is one of the most pop aster native to North America , many cultivar have been bred so you have lots of choice . The species gets 3 to 6 feet marvelous and has an good growing habit . The flowers have majestic rays and chicken shopping mall . Zone 4 - 8
Switchgrass
Bob Stefko
Switchgrass(Panicum virgatum ) was originally the grass that rule the native tall - grass prairie of North America . It is a tough ornamental grass that stands up to a variety of harsh conditions while tot both grain and colouring to a garden . It spreads slow over clock time and adds stunning perpendicular accents wherever it is set . It flower in mid to late summertime . Zone 4 - 9
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are penis of the daisy family ( Asteraceae ) but they are different metal money . Coneflowers are generally a little short and sturdier than genus Helenium and more drought - tolerant .
It is called sneezeweed because it was once used for making snuff . Not to worry , allergy sufferers , helenium wo n’t make you sneeze , but it does bloom about the same sentence as uncivilized ragweed , a major source of hay - febrility - inducing pollen .
Updated by Nadia Hassani
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Credit: Richard Hirneisen
Credit: Greg Ryan
Credit:Bob Stefko
