Common Sneezeweed

A native wildflower that's nothing to sneeze at! Common Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) is a pollinator powerhouse that lights up the late-season garden with golden yellow, daisy-like flowers from late summer into fall. Despite its name, this native wildflower is not allergy-inducing!

It gets the moniker "Sneezeweed" from a historical use of its dried leaves in snuff, not from airborne pollen. Bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects adore it, making it a vital nectar source when other blooms are fading. This tall, upright perennial grows 3 to 5 feet high and spreads 2 to 3 feet wide, with a statuesque form perfect for naturalized beds, rain gardens, and wildflower meadows.

Each sturdy, branching stem is cloaked in lance-shaped green leaves and topped with masses of showy flowers featuring reflexed golden petals and prominent, rounded central cones. The blooms have a cheerful, sunshiny glow that steals the show from mid-August through frost.

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Key Features

Native to most of North America, Common Sneezeweed thrives in moist soils along streambanks, prairies, and lowlands. Historically, Indigenous communities used parts of the plant in medicine and ritual. Though the name implies otherwise, this plant is not a trigger for hay fever, as it's pollinated by insects, not wind.

• Golden yellow daisy-like flowers bloom from late summer to frost
• Insect-pollinated and not an allergy trigger
• Native wildflower that attracts pollinators
• Upright growth habit, 3-5 feet tall, clumping form
• Handles wet soils and naturalizes easily

Landscaping Uses

Its fibrous roots support clumping growth and help hold soil in place, while its upright habit resists flopping and mixes beautifully with ornamental grasses and other fall bloomers like Asters and Goldenrod. Use Common Sneezeweed to add height and rich golden color to late-season gardens. Its upright shape reaches 3 to 5 feet tall and spreads 2 to 3 feet wide.

• Naturalized prairie plantings
• Rain gardens and wet spots
• Wildlife and pollinator gardens
• Mixed perennial borders with ornamental grasses and other natives
• Wildflower meadows or low-maintenance beds
• Erosion control in moist areas

Care & Maintenance

It belongs to the Aster family and is related to other late-season bloomers like Rudbeckia and Echinacea. USDA Zones 3 through 9 gardeners from coast to coast can enjoy this cold-hardy, long-blooming native beauty. This herbaceous perennial is a low-maintenance, native plant hero that thrives in wetter areas and blooms when many others have faded.

• Planting Time: Spring or fall
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to light partial shade
• Soil Requirements: Prefers moist, rich, well-drained to wet soils; tolerates clay
• Moisture Needs: Medium to wet soil; use the Finger Test to check before watering
• Arborist Mulch: Apply a 3-4 inch layer of arborist mulch to help retain moisture and suppress weeds
• Fertilization Needs: Not usually necessary in rich soils; compost in spring if needed
• Pruning Info: Deadhead spent blooms to extend flowering and prevent self-seeding. (learn how to deadhead here)
• Renewal Pruning: Not needed, but divide every few years to maintain vigor
• Division Info: Divide every 3-4 years in early spring or fall for best results
• Special Perks/Growing Tips: Deer resistant, excellent in wet soil, cold-hardy, native plant that supports pollinators

Fall For Sneezeweed's Golden Autumn Glory

Despite its misleading name, Common Sneezeweed is an allergy-friendly, pollinator-attracting native that brings bold fall color and upright form to the garden. Order your Common Sneezeweed and start enjoying vibrant golden blooms and buzzing pollinator activity today from naturehills.com!