Common Sneezeweed
Helenium autumnale
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Helenium
- Species:
- Helenium autumnale
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 4-6 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jul, aug, sep, oct
- Bloom Colors:
- Yellow
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan
Keystone Species Ranking
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Reported Fauna Sightings
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, moist, well-drained loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers wet meadows and stream banks
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Notes: Seeds require cold-moist stratification for optimal germination.
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o