Sneezeweed
Helenium polyphyllum
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Helenium
- Species:
- Helenium polyphyllum
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 3-4 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr, may, jun, jul, aug, sep, oct, nov
- Bloom Colors:
- Red, Yellow, Purple, Brown
Native Range
United States: Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee
Keystone Species Ranking
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Obscure bumble bee (Bombus caliginosus), Obscure bumble bee (Bombus caliginosus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) Butterflies:Aaron's Skipper (Poanes aaroni), Aaron's Skipper (Poanes aaroni), American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon), Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon), Anna Blue (Plebejus anna), Anna Blue (Plebejus anna), Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator), Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator), (Pieris rapae), (Pieris rapae), Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius), Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius), Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae), Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala), Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala), Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan), Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan), Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris), Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Edith's Copper (Lycaena editha), Edith's Copper (Lycaena editha), Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala), Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala), Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella), Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella), Field Skipper (Atalopedes campestris), Field Skipper (Atalopedes campestris), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Greenish Blue (Plebejus saepiolus), Greenish Blue (Plebejus saepiolus), Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades), Hydaspe Fritillary (Speyeria hydaspe), Hydaspe Fritillary (Speyeria hydaspe), Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus), Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus), Lorquin's Admiral (Limenitis lorquini), Lorquin's Admiral (Limenitis lorquini), Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta), Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta), Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola), Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Pacific Fritillary (Boloria epithore), Pacific Fritillary (Boloria epithore), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes), Palatka Skipper (Euphyes pilatka), Palatka Skipper (Euphyes pilatka), Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops), Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops), Sachem (Atalopedes Scudder), Salt Marsh Skipper (Panoquina panoquin), Salt Marsh Skipper (Panoquina panoquin), Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe), Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe), Sonoran Skipper (Polites sonora), Sonoran Skipper (Polites sonora), Southern Broken-Dash (Polites otho), Western Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus rutulus), Whirlabout (Polites vibex), Whirlabout (Polites vibex), Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides), Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides), Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco), Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco), 🛑Zerene Fritillary (Speyeria zerene), 🛑Zerene Fritillary (Speyeria zerene)
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 mountainous regions, prefers open, sunny areas
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o