Helenium autumnale Linnaeus. Common name: Common Sneezeweed. Phenology: Aug-Oct. Habitat: Moist pastures, forests, woodlands, forest edges. Distribution: QC west to BC, south to n. peninsular FL, TX, and CA.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: The taxa included here as synonyms (see synonymy) need additional study; Helenium autumnale as currently circumscribed may well include several taxa warranting taxonomic recognition. The combined range is not biogeographically coherent.
Other Comments: Like H. amarum, H. autumnale is bitter and unpalatable to grazing animals, becoming more abundant in pastures.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Fl7, FNA21, GrPl, K3, K4, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, Oh3, Pa, RAB, Tn, Va, WH3; < Helenium autumnale L. – GW2, W; > Helenium autumnale L. var. autumnale – C, F, G, Il, K1, SE1, WV, Fernald (1943); > Helenium autumnale L. var. canaliculatum (Lam.) Torr. & A.Gray – F, Fernald (1943); > Helenium autumnale L. var. parviflorum (Nutt.) Fernald – F, Il, K1, WV, Fernald (1943); > Helenium latifolium Mill. – S, Tat; > Helenium parviflorum Nutt. – S, Tat
Links to other floras: = Helenium autumnale - FNA21
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
- Great Plains: FACW
- Midwest: FACW
- Northcentral & Northeast: FACW
Heliophily ⓘ: 7
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.










Feedback
See something wrong or missing on about Helenium autumnale? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of moist pastures, forests, woodlands and forest edges.
Stems: Stems wing-angled, simple or branched at summit, hairy.
Leaves: Leaves alternate (basal leaves withered by flowering), sessile to clasping, elliptic to linear-lance-shaped, to 6 in. long (not reduced upward), entire or toothed, hairy.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in branching, terminal cluster; about 2 in.wide; consisting of 10-21 spreading-drooping yellow, narrowly triangular and 3-toothed ray florets encircling a dome-shaped center disk composed of many yellow, tubular florets.
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 2-5 ft.
plant sale text: Common sneezeweed thrives and blooms prolifically in the heat and humidity of late summer. Moist soil is ideal for this perennial, although it will perform well in average garden soil. Named "sneezeweed" because it blooms at the same time as the ragweed that causes allergy symptoms. This perennial provides a glorious show of yellow flowers. Cut foliage back after flowering to get second bloom. Natural rabbit repellant.
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of moist pastures, forests, woodlands and forest edges.
stems: Stems wing-angled, simple or branched at summit, hairy.
leaves: Leaves alternate (basal leaves withered by flowering), sessile to clasping, elliptic to linear-lance-shaped, to 6 in. long (not reduced upward), entire or toothed, hairy.
inflorescence:
flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in branching, terminal cluster; about 2 in.wide; consisting of 10-21 spreading-drooping yellow, narrowly triangular and 3-toothed ray florets encircling a dome-shaped center disk composed of many yellow, tubular florets.
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: North America