purple-headed sneezeweed
Helenium flexuosum
USDA zones3 to 10
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles dry to wet soil
Size1 to 3 feet tall12 to 24 inches wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Yellow rays with brownish-purple center disk
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Purple-headed sneezeweed (Helenium flexuosum) is a perennial for borders, rain gardens, and low maintenance beds. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun and dry to wet soil of most types. Yellow petals surround a round, purplish brown center, and butterflies visit the blooms. It is not a favorite of deer, though hungry deer will eat almost anything. Flowers appear in summer and again in autumn.
Pairs well with Gooseneck loosestrife, Sweet pepperbush, and Sensitive fern.
Native range
Eastern and central North America.