Common Sneezeweed

Common Sneezeweed

Helenium autumnale L.

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

▲ ▼ mature flowering plants

▲ ▼ flowers

▲ some flowers showing seed formation and dispersal (brown heads)

▲ winged stems

Helenium autumnale L., Common Sneezeweed: (Bayer Code: HENAU; US Code HEAU)

U.S. native simple perennial with green stems that grows 3-5 feet tall, with little branching except in upper portions of stem as flowering begins
Stems have leafy wings along their length
Leaves are narrow, lanceolate, with slightly toothed margins
Head inflorescences are about 1-1.5 inches in diameter, with 8-21 yellow ray florets (“petals"); ray flowers have several notches on their tips
Several hundred yellow disk flowers in the center form a globe-shaped structure
Flowering from mid-summer through autumn
Is poisonous to livestock, if grazed, but usually avoided if other vegetation is available; sheep are most sensitive to toxicity
Prefers wetter soils and is common in riparian areas, wetland margins

(Updated January 21, 2021)