Helenium autumnale - Sneezeweed

Sneezeweed is a tall, moisture-loving perennial known for its bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with reflexed petals and raised central disks. Blooming from late summer into fall, it provides a valuable nectar source for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators at a time when many other wildflowers have finished blooming. Its deep green, lance-shaped leaves and upright, clump-forming habit make it a striking addition to moist flower gardens, rain gardens, wet meadows, and riparian plantings.

Sneezeweed spreads primarily by seed but may also expand slowly through its fibrous root system. While not aggressive, it can self-seed readily in favorable conditions. Its bitter foliage makes it highly unpalatable to deer, and its strong, fibrous roots help stabilize soil. Despite its name, Sneezeweed does not cause hay fever. Its dried flowers were historically used as snuff to induce sneezing, believed to help clear nasal congestion.