Golden Autumn

Helenium autumnale

Available Sizes: 1g

Max Size: 5′ tall x 3′ wide
Average Size: 3′ tall x 2′ wide

Loam, Muck, Clay, Sand
Full Sun
Very Moist, Usually Moist, Moist to Dry
No salt tolerance

AKA: Autumn Sneezeweed, Bitterweed, Dogtooth daisy, Helen’s Flower

Fear not, this plant doesn’t make you sneeze! It does bloom yellow in autumn, typically August through October. It goes dormant over winter but typically returns in spring. The plant is semi-aquatic in that it’s happy in an area where there is frequently standing water during wet seasons; this makes it an ideal choice for rain gardens, ditches, or similar low areas. They naturally occur along streams, rivers, ponds, and swamps as well as in meadows and prairies.

When they first start growing taller, they can be cut back to promote a bushier growth and prevent the tall, top-heavy stalks from falling over. Deadhead to encourage additional blooms. Clumps should be divided every 3-4years to maintain healthy growth. As a cut flower, it lasts around 2-5 days in a vase.

They are resistant to browsing by deer and rabbits. This plant is poisonous to ruminants (i.e. cattle, sheep, deer). The blooms attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. It is a host plant for the Dainty Sulphur. Plus, the dried seed heads are a food source for fall songbirds.

The flower heads have historically been used as a cold and headache treatment; a common method is to dry the nearly mature flowerheads and then use in a powdered form. This is linked to the historic trend of sneezing being a desirable way to rid the body of evil spirits and disease. PLEASE NOTE that this method of using the flower as snuff doesn’t include consuming the flower, simply smelling it. DO NOT CONSUME THIS PLANT. (1) Golden Autumn also contains a chemical that can give some people contact dermatitis. (2)