Multiplying heleniums

Heleniums, also called helenias, are perennial plants with a charming country look that flower in gardens in summer or autumn. They produce large daisy-like flowers with a prominent round centre and come in warm colours, from yellow to red via orange. Vigorous and hardy, they are easy to grow. They prefer sun in fertile, moist soil. They form attractive flowering bushes that add a wild feel to the garden. They can be propagated by sowing and by division of stumps. Discover our tips to multiply heleniums in your garden.

Divide heleniums

Division of stumps is the quickest way to multiply helenium and guarantees clones of the parent plant. It is carried out on vigorous plants established for 3 or 4 years.

When to divide heleniums

This depends on flowering period of heleniums.
For heleniums that flower in autumn, divide in March.
For those that flower in summer, divide in October.

Tools needed to divide heleniums

• spade
• pruning shear

Steps to divide heleniums

• Dig up stump with a spade so as to expose roots without damaging them
• Take, using spade or pruning shear, one or more stump fragments located at periphery. Fragments must include at least one bud and one root
• Replant fragment immediately in fresh, loosened soil
• Water

Division allows easy, quick multiplication of your favourite varieties

Sow heleniums

Sowing heleniums is easy to succeed. You can do it with seeds you have harvested or purchased in packets.

When to sow heleniums

You can sow heleniums outdoors in autumn or in May.
For sowing in a seed tray, carry out operation between January and March.

Tools needed to sow heleniums

• Buckets: conventional, biodegradable or a tray
• Potting compost mixed with sand
• Helenium seeds
• labels
• A cold frame

Steps to sow heleniums

• Fill tray or bucket with compost
• Distribute seeds on surface then cover with very little compost
• Place tray or bucket in warm frame at a temperature between 15 and 20 °C.
• Water regularly to keep substrate slightly moist but never waterlogged.
• When seedlings have emerged (after 2–3 weeks), you can pot on.
• Plant out into ground next autumn or spring.

Find more advice on sowing in buckets in this article.

Obtaining new Helenium plants by sowing is easy. Be sure to harvest seeds carefully when flowers have faded

Further reading

• Discover our full sheet on helenium, and our complete helenium collection!
• To learn all about plant propagation, here is an article summarising the main principles.
• And to avoid failure, we recommend planting adapted and downloading our web app Plantfit!