Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Helenium

Species:

Helenium microcephalum

USDA Symbol:

HEMI

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

100 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

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)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock following fire; common in fire-maintained grasslands.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or rocky soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to arid regions, tolerates drought

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