Sneezeweed
Helenium amarum
- Native to:
- Cayman Is., Dominican Republic, Mexico, United States
iNaturalist: © maureen267 (iNaturalist #132876227)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Helenium
- Species:
- Helenium amarum
- USDA Symbol:
- HEAM
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Butterflies:Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon istapa)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from base after fire and colonizes disturbed areas; common in overgrazed pastures and roadsides.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions with light; surface sow and do not cover deeply.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI