Helenium

The Helenium genus has numerous cultivars that come in a wide range of heights (15 inches up to 5 feet), flower form, and come in shades of gold, orange, red and bronze. Helenium will provide the garden with mid-late summer through fall color attracting butterflies and other pollinators. This clump forming perennial is a North American native and is great for borders, prairie gardens, cottage gardens and naturalized areas. Shorter varieties are also attractive in combination containers. Helenium, also known as sneezeweed, prefers moist, well-draining soil but is clay tolerant as long as water does not sit for long periods. There are some cultivars that can be drought tolerant once established, but the plants do not like to be dry for too long. Deadheading the daisy-like blooms will extend the flowering period of this beautiful native.