In the late days of summer and into the golden weeks of fall, Helenium autumnale, commonly known as Sneezeweed, graces Florida’s moist meadows and streambanks with its display of yellow blooms. A hardy native perennial belonging to the Aster family, Sneezeweed flourishes in Zones 8B through 11, favoring damp, open spaces with rich, moist clay soil and full sun. Standing proudly between two and five feet tall, this winged-stem beauty is crowned with dozens of daisy-like flower heads, each boasting fan-shaped, drooping rays and a raised, ball-like center that practically hums with visiting butterflies. Come winter, the plants die back but quickly reseed in spring. Sneezeweed’s common name harks back to an old tradition: its dried leaves were once ground into snuff believed to purge evil spirits through sneezing. Linnaeus is said to have named the genus for Helen of Troy, whose tears fell to the earth and sprang up as flowers.

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