Helenium amarum
A North American native member of the Asteraceae, cultivated for ornamental use and noted as a potential seed contaminant, forms dense clumps with yellow, daisy-like blossoms in full sun on well-drained soil, is drought-tolerant, and attracts butterflies and bees.
Common Names
Bitterweed, Bitter Sneezeweed, Yellow Sneezeweed, Yellowdicks, Yellow Bitterweed, Yellow Dog-Fennel, Slender-leaved Sneezeweed, Fine-leaved Sneezweed, Sneezeweed
Summary
Bitterweed (Helenium amarum) is an upright aromatic annual in the Asteraceae family native to the southern and eastern United States. It grows 12 to 24 inches tall on branched stems with narrow threadlike leaves and yellow daisy-like flower heads made up of 5 to 10 ray florets surrounding a bowl-shaped central disk, and it blooms in summer to fall, attracting bees and other pollinators. It is easily grown from seed and self-seeds readily, with spring sowing in a greenhouse or direct sowing in mid to late spring. Preference is for full sun and dry to medium, sandy to gravelly, well-drained soils, tolerating poorer soils and suitable for borders, prairies, meadows, cottage gardens, rock gardens, wild gardens, and disturbed areas. Nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are provided; deadheading can extend bloom, while powdery mildew, leaf spot, and rust may occur. It can be weedy in some regions, yet offers ornamental value in environmental landscaping.
Lifecycle
Annual
Height
12-24 inches
Spread
10-24 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-10
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Sun and Partial Shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
Tolerates all pH levels
Bloom Color
Yellow
Bloom Time
Spring through early Winter
Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Other
Growth Rate
Annual
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division
Attracts Wildlife
bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Raf.) H.Rock
- Publication
- Rhodora 59: 131 (1957)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Subfamily
- Asteroideae
- Tribe
- Helenieae
- Subtribe
- Gaillardiinae
- Genus
- Helenium
Inferior Taxa
Synonyms
Gaillardia amara Helenium tenuifolium Helenium tenuifolium var. tenuifolium Heleniastrum tenuifolium