Sneezeweed Seeds (Helenium autumnale)

A beautiful garden plant that loves wet soils.

The common name notwithstanding, sneezeweed doesn’t cause sneezing. Rather the big bulbous flower centers of this plant are rich in heavy pollen grains that don’t blow around in the wind causing allergies. It's also an abundant nectar producer. We typically see some very uncommon and exceptionally large native leafcutter bees visiting this wildflower when it is blooming in late summer and autumn.

This is a plant that normally occurs in only scattered locations across the Northwest, most commonly along sunny floodplain areas of large rivers, and sometimes in seasonally wet meadows. It thrives in rich, occasionally wet soils and is a first-rate species for rain gardens and bioswales, soggy fields, and even around the downspouts of houses. It’s surprisingly under-used in habitat restoration and landscaping considering how showy it is, and considering how it blooms late in the year when few other wildflowers remain to feed hungry pollinators.

This is also a plant that is shunned by deer, and it forms neat clumps that can be periodically divided to propagate more plants for sharing or to spread more habitat around.

Approximately 1000 seeds per packet (1.0 grams).