Helenium, named for Helen of Troy from Greek mythology, is U.S. prairie perennial. In times past powdered disk flowers and leaves of some heleniums were used as snuff, hence the common name. It’s difficult to sell ‘sneezeweed” and many garden catalogs now list it as “helenium”. A number of good hybrid selections have been introduced including Moerheim Beauty (Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’) and Mardi Gras (H. x ‘Mardi Gras’).

Moerheim Beauty stands 2 ½ to 3 feet tall and 1 to 1½ feet wide on sturdy stems. It develops deep roots, and rarely needs staking as many seed varieties do. The showy 2-inch wide coppery red ray flowers surround a dark dome-like center. Flowers gradually fade to burnt orange.

Mardi Gras grows slightly shorter and bears bright fiesta-like yellow petals, splashed with orange-red over 6-8 weeks from mid- to late- summer. Petals age to clear red with a gold edge, all surrounding a dark brown button center.

Heleniums grow in full sun and in an average moist, well drained soil. They tolerate wet, sometimes flooded soils, and are great choices for rain gardens. Long summer dry spells can devastate the foliage and flower count, and they should be watered regularly. Flowers may sometimes be nipped by an early autumn frost in USDA hardiness zone 5 and colder.

Fertilize sparingly to prevent weak stems and crowns, and the need for staking. Plants may benefit from being cut back in late spring to encourage branching and more flower formation. Deadhead old blooms to encourage additional ones. Crowns should be dug up and divided every 2-3 years.

Flowers attract many kinds of butterflies; deer and rabbits stay away from toxic heleniums. Plant heleniums in flower borders and meadow gardens. They look great growing in containers and their sturdy long stems and a long vase life make them great cut flowers. Above recommended cultivars exhibit exceptional disease resistance.