Helenium autumnale

'Common Sneezeweed'

[Wild Form]

Asteraceae: a perennial herb up to 1.3m. Found in wet meadows and marshes, rich thickets, meadows and shores. Clusters of daisy-like flowers 2" across with distinctive wedge-shaped, bright yellow rays (three-lobed at the tips) and prominent, dome-like, dull yellow centre disks, blooming from August-October. The leaves are Alternate, lance-shaped, dark green to 6" long. Native to Eastern North America - Quebec to Florida, west to Manitoba and Arizona.

USES:

The dried nearly mature flower heads are used in a powdered form as a snuff to treat colds and headaches. When made into a tea they are used in the treatment of intestinal worms. The powdered leaves are sternutatory. An infusion of the leaves is laxative and alterative. An infusion of the stems has been used as a wash in the treatment of fevers. The plant contains helenalin, a compound that has shown significant anti-tumour activity.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Surface sow seeds. These seeds germinate rapidly, but if germination does not occur after 3–4 weeks a cooling period of 2–4 weeks is recommended. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Grows well in ordinary garden soil, succeeding in most conditions other than boggy soils. It prefers a fertile moisture retentive soil in a sunny position. Attracts butterflies.

HARVESTED: 2021

APPROX. 50 SEEDS