Helenium flexuosum: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Powdered leaves and flower heads were used in the treatment of colds and congestion by inducing sneezing. Indians used an infusion of the leaves as a laxative.
Plant Profile: Helenium flexuosum
Taxonomy: Helenium flexuosumNames
Purple-headed Sneezeweed, Southern Sneezeweed
Phonetic Spelling:hel-EH-nee-um fleks-yoo-OH-sum
Genus:Helenium
Species:nudiflorum
Family:Asteraceae
Purple-headed sneezeweed thrives in forests, natural habitats, and along stream banks, particularly in moist environments. It tends to proliferate in disturbed locations such as abandoned fields, pastures, and roadside areas. Additionally, this plant is popular in flower gardens as an ornamental herbaceous perennial. Its distinctive round, purplish center disk sets it apart from other sneezeweed varieties.
For successful cultivation, sneezeweed prefers average to nutrient-rich soils and requires moist to wet conditions. To promote branching and enhance flowering, it is advisable to trim the plant back in early summer. Regular deadheading will also stimulate the production of additional blooms.
Helenium flexuosum Feature Summary
Helenium flexuosum Image Gallery
Tags
#showy flowers
#poisonous
#full sun tolerant
#perennial
#weedy
#cut flowers
#salt tolerant
#wetlands
#stream banks
#moist soil
#deer resistant
#pastures
#thickets
#rich soil
#naturalizes
#pollinator plant
#native wildflower
#clumping
#food source summer
#food source fall
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#Piedmont Mountains FAC
#Coastal FACW
#wet soils tolerant
#bird friendly
#food source hard mast fruit
#butterfly friendly
#bog gardens
#audubon
Similar Plants
Helenium flexuosum is often confused with:
Helenium flexuosum Feature Summary
Attributes
Powdered leaves and flower heads were used in the treatment of colds and congestion by inducing sneezing. Indians used an infusion of the leaves as a laxative.
Eastern and midwestern US
Eastern and Central US and Canada
Attracts butterflies.
Perennial
Fruit
Displays from June to October
Summer
Fall
Flowers
Yellow 3-lobed ray petals and a convex deep purplish brown button head. Blooms from May to August
Purple/Lavender
Brown/Copper
Good Cut
Showy
Long Bloom Season
Summer
7 - 20 petals/rays
Wheel
1-3 inches
Leaves
glandular-dotted; lance-shaped, dark green basal leaves to 8” long, with upper leaves that are smaller and less toothed;
Green
Simple
Alternate
Lanceolate
Dentate
> 6 inches
Poisonous to Humans
Salivation, elevated temperature and pulse, with difficulty breathing, vomiting, and convulsions. TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN.
Sesquiterpene lactone
Medium
Seeds
Leaves
Flowers
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Frequent Standing Water
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Stem
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Native Garden
Deer
Wet Soil
Salt
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Riparian
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Small Mammals
Poisonous to Humans
Helenium flexuosum Image Gallery
Helenium flexuosum Attributes
Helenium flexuosum: Country Or Region Of Origin
Eastern and midwestern US
Helenium flexuosum: Distribution
Eastern and Central US and Canada
Helenium flexuosum: Wildlife Value
Attracts butterflies.
Helenium flexuosum: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Helenium flexuosum: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Helenium flexuosum Fruit
Helenium flexuosum: Fruit Description
Displays from June to October
Helenium flexuosum: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Helenium flexuosum Flowers
Helenium flexuosum: Flower Description
Yellow 3-lobed ray petals and a convex deep purplish brown button head. Blooms from May to August
Helenium flexuosum: Flower Color
Brown/Copper
Purple/Lavender
Helenium flexuosum: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Helenium flexuosum: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Helenium flexuosum: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Helenium flexuosum: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Helenium flexuosum: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Helenium flexuosum Leaves
Helenium flexuosum: Leaf Description
glandular-dotted; lance-shaped, dark green basal leaves to 8” long, with upper leaves that are smaller and less toothed;
Helenium flexuosum: Leaf Color
Green
Helenium flexuosum: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Helenium flexuosum: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Helenium flexuosum: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Helenium flexuosum: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Helenium flexuosum: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Helenium flexuosum: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Helenium flexuosum Poisonous to Humans
Helenium flexuosum: Poison Symptoms
Salivation, elevated temperature and pulse, with difficulty breathing, vomiting, and convulsions. TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN.
Helenium flexuosum: Poison Toxic Principle
Sesquiterpene lactone
Helenium flexuosum: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Helenium flexuosum: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Helenium flexuosum: Poison Part
Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems
Helenium flexuosum Whole Plant Traits
Helenium flexuosum: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Helenium flexuosum: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Helenium flexuosum: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Helenium flexuosum Cultural Conditions
Helenium flexuosum: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Helenium flexuosum: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Helenium flexuosum: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Helenium flexuosum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Helenium flexuosum Stem
Helenium flexuosum: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Helenium flexuosum Landscape
Helenium flexuosum: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Helenium flexuosum: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Helenium flexuosum: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Helenium flexuosum: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
Helenium flexuosum: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
