Summary
Two unnamed accessions of Helenium flexuosum (purple-headed sneezeweed) were evaluated and received slightly different ratings. This disparity was attributed to differences in survivability and form. A commercially sourced Helenium flexuosum displayed a rambling and prostrate habit, while plants grown from seed collected from a natural population in New Castle County, DE were upright. However, both produced flowers with nearly spherical, garnet-colored cones and strongly reflexed, maize-yellow petals. Individual flowers are somewhat diminutive, but what they lack in size, they more than make up for in quantity. A profusion of inflorescences are borne over a prolonged eight-week period from late July into September. Unlike other cultivars, we found Helenium flexuosum to be a prolific self-seeder in the garden. It was difficult to distinguish rapidly growing seedlings from the original plants, which may have resulted in the evaluation of multiple generations. Like most Helenium, this species benefits from staking. However, due to its smaller stature, unsupported plants of Helenium flexuosum display a growth habit that fits nicely in naturalistic garden designs.
Details
- Rating
3.6 (Average) - Common Name
purple-headed sneezeweed - Bloom Period
early July — mid-September - Peak Bloom
mid-August - Flower Size
1" - Size
42" X 40" - Powdery Mildew Resistance
Good (Average)
Pollinator Favorite