Common sneezeweed is a herbaceous perennial in the aster family (Asteraceae) and can be found throughout the United States in moist soils along streams, ponds, in swamps, and wetlands. The specific epithet autumnale refers to the plant's autumn flowering. Sneezeweed can be cultivated in average to rich soils and requires moist to wet conditions in full sun to partial shade. It should be cut back in early summer to encourage branching and increase the number of flowers. It grows 3 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Yellow rays surround a dome of florets in late summer into fall. They appear in clusters on distinctive winged stems with dark green 6-inch-long leaves. Cultivars are much showier than the weedy native sneezeweed. Use this plant in the native and pollinator garden, in naturalized areas and along ponds, bogs and streams. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. Watch for powdery mildew, leaf spot and rust. Staking may be necessary. More information on Helenium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Oblong
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Dark green stalkless, usually toothed margins, 3 to 6 inch long
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Orange
Flower value
Showy
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
flattened or ball-shaped flower heads with bright yellow wedge-shaped rays which are 3-lobed at the outer end, drooping away from the center ball.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit detail
Displays from October to November
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Green winged stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
North America
Distribution
AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY Canada: AB , BC , MB , NT , ON , QC , SK
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
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.d