Bitter Sneezeweed

Helenium amarum (Raf.) H. Rock

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ ▼ leaf and flower details

Helenium amarum (Raf.) H. Rock., Bitter Sneezeweed: (Bayer Code: HENAM; US Code HEAM)

U.S. native, summer annual with green, ridged stems that grows 0.3 to 3 feet tall, usually with a single main stem, and branching only in the upper portions of the plant (stems are not winged)
Leaves are linear (sometimes broader at base of plant), sometimes pinnately lobed into linear lobes, but upper stem leaves are usually unlobed and linear
Head inflorescences have 8-10 yellow ray flowers (“petals"); ray flowers have several notches on their tips
Near 100 or more yellow disk flowers in the center form a globe-shaped structure
Flowering in late summer to early autumn, and is a common site in over-grazed pastures, roadsides when in bloom; tolerant of drier, less fertile soils
Is poisonous to livestock, if grazed; but usually avoided due to bitter taste
Causes bitter milk in grazing cows and can be toxic, if grazed heavily