Purplehead Sneezeweed
Helenium flexuosum
- Native to:
- United States
Source: Wikimedia; Credit: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA https://www.flickr.com/people/54563451@N08
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Helenium
- Species:
- Helenium flexuosum
- USDA Symbol:
- HEFL
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, brown
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
Bees: Ceratina Latreille, Zadontomerus Ashmead
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from basal crown following fire; associated with fire-maintained wet meadows and prairies.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and do not cover.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI