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Native Plant Database

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Helenium amarum (Yellow sneezeweed)
Marcus, Joseph A.

Helenium amarum (Raf.) H. Rock

Yellow Sneezeweed, Bitterweed, Yellow bitterweed, Yellowdicks, Slender-leaved sneezeweed, Fine-leaved sneezweed, Yellow dog-fennel

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

USDA Symbol: heam

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

The genus is thought to have been named by Linnaeus for Helen of Troy. The legend is that the flowers sprung up from the ground where her tears fell.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Flower: Flower 1 inch
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CA , CT , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NE , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WI
Native Habitat: Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannahs, Woodlands edge, Opening
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Desturbed, Acid-based, Calcareous, Limestone-based, Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Can be mowed, Pocket prairie, Wildflower meadow, Aromatic
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Pineywoods Native Plant Center - Nacogdoches, TX
Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0585 Collected May 11, 1990 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
NPSOT 0920 Collected Aug 27. 1994 in Bexar County by Mike Fox

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-24 Collected 2006-05-22 in Travis County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
LBJWC-560 Collected 2007-08-28 in Travis County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Bibliography

Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 281 - Shinners & Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas (1999) Diggs, G. M.; B. L. Lipscomb; B. O'Kennon; W. F...
Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Helenium amarum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Helenium amarum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Helenium amarum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2011-04-12
Research By: TWC Staff

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