Helenium flexuosum Rafinesque. Common name: Southern Sneezeweed. Phenology: May-Aug. Habitat: Moist pastures, moist forests, riverbanks, wet pine rocklands (in s. FL). Distribution: S. ME west to MN, south to c. peninsular FL and TX; disjunct in s. FL.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Rayless plants of s. FL likely warrant taxonomic recognition.
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, Fl7, FNA21, G, GrPl, GW2, Il, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Oh3, Pa, RAB, SE1, Tn, Va, W, WH3, WV, Bierner (1972); > Helenium floridanum Fernald — Fernald (1943); > Helenium godfreyi Fernald — Fernald (1943); > Helenium nudiflorum Nutt. — F, S, Tat, Fernald (1943); > Helenium polyphyllum Small — S. Basionym: Helenium flexuosum Raf. 1836 [1838]
Links to other floras: = Helenium flexuosum - FNA21
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
- Great Plains: FACW
- Midwest: FAC
- Northcentral & Northeast: FAC
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Helenium flexuosum, Union County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something wrong or missing on about Helenium flexuosum? 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. If a species is not keyed, that's because keying is ongoing. Please don't send us feedback about unkeyed species.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of moist forests, moist pastures and river banks.
Stems: Stems wing-angled, with stiffly ascending, leafy branches above; rough-hairy.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile (basal leaves petiolate), narrowly lance-shaped to oval, to 6 in. long (reduced upward), wavy-margined, smooth or velvety-furry.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) at ends of branches; 1 1/2-2 in. wide; consisting of 8-15 yellow, drooping, narrowly wedge-shaped and 3-toothed ray florets encircling a maroon-brown, ball-shaped central disk (about 1/2 in. tall) composed of many tubular florets.
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 1-3 ft.
plant sale text: This handsome SE native produces multibranched stems of bright yellow flowers, each with a prominent dark purplish center. While this plant does not cause hay fever symptoms, it is also known as sneezeweed because it blooms at the same time as ragweed. Often found growing around the edges of ponds and on streambanks, it also does well in average soil conditions. This perennial is deer resistant and makes a wonderful cut flower. This species is being studied for its anticancer properties.
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of moist forests, moist pastures and river banks.
stems: Stems wing-angled, with stiffly ascending, leafy branches above; rough-hairy.
leaves: Leaves alternate, sessile (basal leaves petiolate), narrowly lance-shaped to oval, to 6 in. long (reduced upward), wavy-margined, smooth or velvety-furry.
inflorescence:
flowers: Composite flowers (heads) at ends of branches; 1 1/2-2 in. wide; consisting of 8-15 yellow, drooping, narrowly wedge-shaped and 3-toothed ray florets encircling a maroon-brown, ball-shaped central disk (about 1/2 in. tall) composed of many tubular florets.
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States
0 unsaved edits on this page.