Most of the oldest ones are probably seedlings that popped up on their own - for these plants are highly popular with bees. An easier way is to let nature do all that work for you. I'm far too lazy for that sort of caper. Although many helenium varieties are the work of breeders such as Karl Foerster and Alan Bloom, spontaneous crosses do occur. After they finish flowering, their seeds drop to the ground, and then new plants magically appear the following year. There is no chill requirement so seed can be sown in early spring – say late February or early March in N Europe given greenhouse or cold frame protection. For such a seemingly simple and underused perennial, the number of helenium varieties is surprising. Noteworthy Characteristics Helenium amarum , commonly known as bitterweed or sneezeweed, is an upright, aromatic, bushy annual of the composite family that typically grows to 12” tall, but less frequently rises to as much as 24”, on … Heleniums aren’t heavy feeders, and one application of a balanced flower fertilizer in the spring is enough in fertile soils. This is a compact variety growing to only 2ft 3in / 65cm tall. Although helenium flowers resemble coneflowers and black-eyed Susan flowers, they do not share the drought tolerance of these look-alikes. Self sown seedlings Hellebores can also simply be left to self sow, which they will often do prolifically. Heleniums make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers to make seasonal bouquets with other autumn beauties like sunflowers, asters, or sedum. Definitely my top self-seeding herb. Deer seldom browse helenium plants, making them a natural choice for meadows, prairies, and other naturalized areas that must accommodate wildlife. This is frankly a little silly. We transplant these tiny “volunteers” to a nursery area (we call it the HICU :o) ) and leave them for at least a year so they can grow big enough to be moved to a bigger nursery area or to a garden. Jamie has written about gardening and special occasion flowers since 2011. (NB It won’t appear in the shop quite yet.). Google Birds feast on their seeds and butterflies love their nectar. *Space plants to a foot or a foot and a half. Alternatively the seedheads may be highly ornamental and can be left on the plants for their display, but check them regularly to collect some of the seed once it’s dry. Next spring, keep a sharp eye out for the seedlings when weeding. you tips on how to improve it. Helenium autumnale is named after Helen of Troy, it is said that these flowers grew where her tears fell…the ‘autumale’ suffix means it is late summer/autumn flowering. A very charming and free flowering plant whose Inca gold cone centre acts as the perfect landing pad for the thousands of bees that will come to pay homage to Miss Helen of Troy. The option of saving seed and direct sowing it in the garden in the early spring, just before you expect the frosts to subside, might work best for gardeners in colder zones. You can distinguish helenium from coneflowers by its late summer into early fall bloom time; in contrast to the early summer blooms of coneflower. Plant helenium plants in groups of three or five for the best effect. *Helenium are a little peculiar in that they can take ions to get started and seedlings can remain tiny for yonks but then suddenly they get with the program and rocket up. It offers spires of purple, blue, pink and white blooms in late spring and early summer. A three-inch layer of organic mulch will conserve moisture and maintain the acidic soil pH heleniums like. However, the disadvantages outweigh this simple benefit. *Sow on the SURFACE of your seed compost…just firm them in. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Helenium found in: Helenium Collection, Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty', Helenium autumnale 'Sunshine Hybrids', Helenium autumnale 'Helena Rote Töne',.. Stick the unrooted cuttings directly into trays containing pre-moistened, well-drained propagation substrate. Helenium ‘Goldfield’ has bright golden yellow petals that are slightly down turned…perhaps ‘hangdog’ in nature. Personally, I do think these seedlings are worth saving. Here are a few of the most interesting selections for your garden: At first glance, helenium flowers and blanket flowers (Gaillardia grandiflora) seem to be almost identical. Shorter cultivars would work well with bronze carex (most are not hardy in our area, however) and mix nicely with the airy purple-flowerd Verbena bonariensis (not hardy, but self-seeds readily). Family: Aster (Asteraceae) Hardy Zones 3 to 8 (Elf Dock) Herbaceous perennial. However, a key difference between the two sun-lovers is the amount of moisture required for thriving plants. Day wasn’t important enough to Google. Usually they have a well-developed root system for their size, and they have already proven what a strong little plant they are. The seed heads of plants are like salt shakers full of tiny seeds. Cover with a very fine sprinkling of compost. When the capsules split open, scatter the seeds anywhere you would like them to grow or just let them drop where they are. The flowers cover 3 to 5 foot (0.9-1.5 m.) tall mounds of foliage for about three months in the fall. Why? Browse pictures and read growth / cultivation information about Helenium, Sneezeweed, Helen's Flower, ... plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed. 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