Helenium, Helenium: planting, growing and care

Description and Botany

L’helenium or Helenium, sometimes called “autumn daisy“, is a perennial from the Asteraceae family, like its cousin the daisy and the aster. It is native to the wet meadows, marshes, and edges of swamps in North America.

The genus Helenium comprises around 40 species of perennial, annual, or biennial heleniums. They have given rise to over 70 interesting hybrids and cultivars that vary in shape, height, and colour, such as ‘Moerheim Beauty’, the most popular of all heleniums, or ‘Ruby Tuesday’.

Most hybrids are derived from Helenium autumnale. The Helenium hoopesii, helenium puberulum, and Helenium bigelovii or “Bigelove Helenium” are also frequently found in our gardens.

This perennial has a upright tufted habit, fairly compact and somewhat untidy, easily reaching 1.50 m in height and 50 cm in width for the most imposing varieties.

Although it has a rapid growth, helenium needs about two years to establish well, then it grows over the years to form dense and highly floriferous clumps, which can even become invasive. Once well established, it can live for years.

From a basal tuft of leaves gathered in a rosette, large slender yet robust stems emerge in spring, more or less branched at their upper part. With exceptional sturdiness, they are resistant to wind and generally do not require staking.

Helenium autumnale – botanical illustration

Helenium exhibits a vigorous foliage whose interest lies mainly in its abundance. Deciduous, the foliage resembles that of daisies and Echinaceas. The straight stems are punctuated with narrow leaves 10 to 30 cm long, lanceolate in shape, and slightly dentate. Smaller towards the top of the stems, they are arranged alternately. They can sometimes be very thick and vary from bright green to dark green or bluish.

Conquering and radiant, the flowers of Helenium, this close relative of the sunflower, are of a resolutely sunny beauty. The warm tones of this flowering herald the fires of autumn.

There are early heleniums that bloom from May to July and late heleniums or “autumn heleniums” whose flowering extends from August to the brink of winter. From June to November, depending on the varieties, the stems bear inflorescences in a large durable head 2 to 10 cm in diameter reminiscent of the shape of daisies, Rudbeckias, or Echinaceas.

All summer long and until the frosts, a myriad of flowers blooms tirelessly, sometimes gathered in corymbs of 3 or 8 at the ends of the stems.

They consist of a well-rounded hemispherical cone coloured chocolate brown, old gold, or amber, which can sometimes be very prominent, forming a small rounded cushion that gradually becomes dotted with yellow stamens. The heart of this pompom is surrounded by a collar of fine petals or ligules, sometimes very rolled, arranged in one or two rows (Helenium ‘Double Trouble’. Closely packed, they are slightly notched into 3 to 5 teeth at their tips and can spread almost horizontally or, conversely, bend significantly downwards at maturity, as seen in Helenium hoopesii.

These well-opened corollas display vibrant autumn colours particularly flamboyant, taking on all the warm shades, from the brick red of Helenium Moerheim Beauty, to the ruby red of Helenium ‘Ruby Tuesday’, to the bright coppery orange of Helenium ‘Short’n ‘Sassy’, or the sunny yellow of Helenium ‘Kugelsonne’. Some multicoloured or bicoloured florets are variegated with yellow, red, orange, and copper.

This remarkably generous flowering, lasting 6 to 10 weeks, colourful and melliferous, spans the entire summer: the flowers renew themselves continuously until autumn, attracting bees and butterflies to the beds.

The flowers of Heleniums are melliferous.

Fresh flowers, long-lasting in a vase, make for beautiful sparkling and fiery summer bouquets.

Very hardy, well below -15°C, the helenium can be grown in all regions. Never sick, Helenium is easy to grow in the sun, in any good garden soil that remains slightly moist, although it will be more exuberant in soil rich in organic matter. It is a robust plant with good standing that does not fear intense heat and drought occasionally.

It flowers in naturalistic beds, enlivens slopes, delights mixed borders in the English style. Some varieties are also suitable for pot cultivation.

From left to right: Helenium autumnale ‘Mardis Gras’, Helenium ‘Zimbelstern’, Helenium ‘Baudirektor Linne’, Helenium ‘Double Trouble’, Helenium ‘Bandera’.

Main species and varieties

Les plus populaires

Nos préférées

Autre variété intéressante

Helenium Moerheim Beauty

It is the most popular of all the heleniums with its red flowers that hold well in bouquets.

• Flowering time July to October
• Height at maturity 90 cm

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Helenium El Dorado

This helenium stands out for its early and long flowering. It is a medium-sized, hardy and easy to grow variety

• Flowering time August to October
• Height at maturity 1 m

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Helenium Ruby Tuesday

An abundant ruby red flowering that sets the garden ablaze until the first frosts, in borders as well as in large pots.

• Flowering time September to November
• Height at maturity 55 cm

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Helenium Sahins Early Flowerer

Awarded by the R.H.S (Royal Horticultural Society), it surpasses others with its flamboyant and particularly long flowering. Easy to grow, it thrives in sunny positions, planted in slopes, borders or even containers. Easy to grow, it thrives in sunny positions, planted in slopes, borders or even containers.

• Flowering time August to December
• Height at maturity 1 m

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Helenium Baudirektor Linne

It is one of the largest varieties. It flowers well in slopes, borders or even containers.

• Flowering time August to October
• Height at maturity 1,50 m

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Helenium Dunkle Pracht

Helenium ‘Dunkle Pracht’ is a variety of helenium with a beautiful intense and rare red that fades to orange at the edges. This unique colour harmony is perfect for illustrating autumn in a garden.

• Flowering time August to October
• Height at maturity 90 cm

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Helenium Rubinzwerg

The very warm tones of this large floriferous perennial enliven borders all summer long. It will thrive in many climates

• Flowering time August to November
• Height at maturity 80 cm

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Helenium Mardi Gras

This medium-sized variety offers flamboyant and changing daisies at the end of summer. The cultivar 'Mardi Gras' offers a very rich colour and a fairly compact habit.

• Flowering time August to October
• Height at maturity 60 cm

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Helenium Tijuana Brass

A new introduction, large bright golden yellow flowers. Its tall stature makes it suitable for the back of borders, where it brightens up in late summer and autumn.

• Flowering time August to October
• Height at maturity 1,50 m

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Helenium Zimbelstern

A recent German introduction, abundantly flowering with honey yellow daisies slightly striated with orange from mid-summer. Despite its height, its sturdy stems do not require staking!

• Flowering time September to November
• Height at maturity 1,20 m

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Helenium Waltraut

It is a late summer perennial that brightens up the end of the beautiful days. An ideal variety for borders and for making bouquets.

• Flowering time August to October
• Height at maturity 80 cm

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Helenium Pumilum Magnificum

This 80 cm helenium with a slightly untidy habit flowers from June until late summer. It fits perfectly in a country-style or slightly wild garden

• Flowering time July to September
• Height at maturity 80 cm

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Helenium Loysder Wieck

This helenium is an original variety with its curled petals, revealing both a yellow face on top and a fire brown-red underside.

• Flowering time August to October
• Height at maturity 90 cm

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Young plantation

Where to plant Helenium

Very easy to grow, with good hardiness (down to -15°C), Helenium thrives almost everywhere in France and adapts very well even by the seaside.

Once well-rooted in a spot it likes, it flourishes year after year, becoming increasingly floriferous, potentially becoming invasive and smothering its neighbours. It can self-seed spontaneously. It struggles a bit with the close presence of other plants. Choosing the right location when planting is therefore imperative: give it some space!

Choose a well-sunny spot sheltered from the wind, which could bend the stems of the taller specimens.

This beautiful perennial grows in heavy, clayey, and marshy soils; it is sometimes used to naturally drain overly wet ground. While it accepts all types of soil that are not too dry, it will thrive in deep, fertile soil. The soil should be particularly rich in organic matter to allow the plant to bloom well. In poor soil, it will manage but will never be lush.

It prefers a well-drained soil that remains cool during summer, especially in the first few years; it will tolerate temporary drought better over time. Winter flooding is fatal for it: it needs a filtering, well-drained soil.

Versatile, it fits into all settings and can be used in borders or beds. The tallest Heleniums (‘Kugelsonne’) will form imposing flowering bushes at the back of the beds. Smaller Heleniums will add height to the borders. Some varieties, of reasonable size, are also suitable for pot cultivation.

Flowers of Helenium ‘Ruby Thuesday’.

When to plant Helenium

Helenium is ideally planted in spring in March or April in colder regions or in autumn in September-October elsewhere, avoiding periods of frost and drought.

How to plant Heleniums

In open ground

Maintain a distance of 30 to 40 cm between plants and plant in numbers: count 3-5 buckets per m², given the strong development of this perennial, this is sufficient to create a striking effect in a bed.

Helenium is a heavy feeder; the soil must be well amended: make a good addition of well-decomposed compost.

• Work the soil well, removing weed roots and stones
• Plant it in a mixture of potting soil, with a good dose of well-decomposed compost
• Mulch in spring with pine bark mulch to keep the soil cool during summer; this guarantees prolonged flowering
• Water regularly after planting
• In spring, protect young shoots from snails and slugs

Cultivation in pots :

Even more than in open ground, Helenium will need plenty of water. Choose a variety with a compact growth habit.

• Plant it in a large container, in a mixture of potting soil and compost that is always moist
• Spread a good layer of drainage (gravel or clay balls) at the bottom of the pot for good drainage
• Mulch and water very regularly, never allowing the substrate to dry out
• Fertilise regularly with organic fertiliser during the flowering period

Caring for Heleniums

Helenium is a low-maintenance perennial as long as it receives enough light and water during summer. Once well established, it requires little care provided that the soil is well-draining, sufficiently nourishing, and cool in summer.

During the first springs and summers, provide it with generous watering. In dry periods, water daily but avoid flooding.

Maintaining heleniums is simple:

• In spring, before the growth starts for late-flowering varieties or in autumn after flowering, cut back the dry stems to 15 cm above the soil using shears.
• Take the opportunity to add one or two shovelfuls of compost at its base: remember, they like fertile soils,
• Mulch in May to ensure the base remains sufficiently cool in summer.
• Support the tallest varieties if necessary.
• In summer, remove the flowers as they fade to prolong the flowering period.

Every 3 to 4 years, in spring or autumn, divide the largest stumps if the plant shows signs of fatigue to rejuvenate it.

Beautiful clump of Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’.

Diseases and potential pests

Never sick, Helenium has only a few rare enemies: gastropods, at the start of the growing season. In spring, protect its young shoots from the appetite of slugs and snails. Discover all our tips in our guide: “Slugs: 7 effective ways to fight naturally”

It can sometimes be susceptible to powdery mildew and foliar spots (rust), especially when planted too much in the shade, in a somewhat confined situation, or in soil that is too heavy and damp. To prevent and combat powdery mildew, follow our advice: “Powdery mildew: prevention and treatment”

Multiplication

To multiply Helenium, division remains the least tedious operation. Root cuttings are possible but quite delicate. Sowing is a method that allows for obtaining a large number of plants, but we do not recommend it for botanical species whose flower colour remains true.

Division

Dividing clumps is done after 3 or 4 years, when the plant is well established. Divide late-flowering Heleniums in March and early-flowering Heleniums in October.

• Using a sharp spade, cut some clumps from the periphery with at least one bud and one root
• Take the opportunity to rejuvenate the plant by keeping only the outer clumps and discarding the central clump
• Replant these clumps immediately in the garden in well-tilled, fresh soil

How to sow Helenium?

Helenium is a perennial that is very easy to grow from seeds. Sowing can be done directly in the ground in autumn or in May, or in trays from January to March with well-ripened seeds harvested in autumn or with seeds purchased in packets.

• Sow in a mixture of potting soil and river sand, barely covering the seeds
• Place the tray under a warm frame at 15-20°C
• Water regularly but do not saturate the substrate
• Expect germination in 2 to 3 weeks
• When the seedlings have two true leaves, transplant them into individual buckets
• Plant them in the ground in autumn or the following spring when the seedlings have hardened off well
• The plants will flower as early as the second year after sowing

→ Learn more about the multiplication of heleniums in our tutorial sheet!

Associating Helenium in the garden

Helenium is particularly inspiring for creating a naturalistic garden, or a mixed border in the spirit of cottage gardens with other easy-going upright perennials. Its original and sunny flowers splash colour in summer and autumn, creating beds and borders of fiery brightness.

A stunning natural scene: Achillea ‘Terracotta’, Achillea ‘The Beacon’, Achillea ‘Paprika’, Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’, Stipa tenuifolia, Allium sphaerocephalon.

It is essential for composing wild-looking scenes, lush and vibrant at the heart of summer.

When planted in groups rather than alone, it adds substance to a border with its strong chromatic presence, either by providing contrast or in a gradient or monochrome version.

Its intense colours can easily be paired with the complementary colours (crimson/blue) of asters and sages in a joyful and exuberant spirit.

For a mix of explosive tones, it can be combined with Echinaceas, Oriental Poppies, Rudbeckias, Daisies, Achilleas, Agastaches, Helianthus, Coreopsis, Echinops, perennial chrysanthemums, or Phlox.

Its slightly unruly habit will provide, in an exuberant summer border, a contrast of form with plants that have more defined outlines such as dahlias, kniphofias, cannas, and crocosmias. Lightly structured perennials like Gaura, Gypsophila, and grasses like Miscanthus will add softness and movement, contrasting with the somewhat stiff habit of Helenium.

At the edge of a border, modest-sized Heleniums will shine alongside Sages, Daylilies, and Heucheras that will enhance its warm hues.

An idea for pairing: Helenium ‘Windley’, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’, and Stachys officinalis.

The grey or blue foliage of Artemisias or Santolines, hostas, and grasses (blue fescues) will be perfect to calm the fire.

It can also be paired with a euonymus or a Japanese maple with sumptuous foliage in autumn.

→ Discover more pairing ideas with Heleniums in our advice sheet.