The beautiful perennial Helenium gets its name from Helen of Troy. RUSSELL STUDEBAKER / Courtesy
All Helenium species are native to North America and were introduced to Europe in 1729 and, by the 1940s, many cultivars were available from German and English breeders.
Last year I planted the Oklahoma-native Helenium autumnale from Pine Ridge Gardens. And even though it was planted late season, it flowered impressively for many weeks during that awful summer. Dr. Allen Armitage, retired professor of Horticulture University of Georgia, lists 31 cultivars in his latest edition of "Herbaceous Perennial Plants."
These are also called sneezeweed as they flower during the time of ragweed and other allergy-producing pollen plants and are falsely blamed and named for the annoyance. Several species are native to Oklahoma, and some are called bitterweed and yellow dog fennel.
Heleniums are toxic if eaten and may cause minor skin irritation to some. The bitterweed species is bitter and not palatable to livestock.
These are members of the Aster family and the flowers are single, two to three inches in diameter like colored daisies. Another name for Helenium is Helen's flower, after Helen of Troy. In Greek mythology, Helen was reported to be the most beautiful woman in the world.
Helen's mythological birthplace was Sparta in the Mycenaean bronze age. She married King Menelaus of Sparta. In Homer's epic poem "The Iliad," Trojan Prince Paris took a fancy to her and kidnapped her, taking her to Troy and sparking the 10-year Trojan War.
You know the rest of the story. A "gift" of a large wooden horse with Greek soldiers inside was left but was taken inside Troy's walls. The Greeks emerged and destroyed Troy, burned it to the ground, killed Paris and the men and enslaved the Trojan women and children.
Menelaus vowed to kill Helen but, as he raised his sword to slay her, she dropped her robe from her shoulders and the sight of her beauty caused him to drop his sword. Helen was returned to Sparta.
I can understand why this plant was named for Helen's beauty as Special Perennials Nursery in England has the national collection of Heleniums, which number more than 100 cultivars. You can view all the cultivars on its website,
tulsaworld.com/specialperennials
Their colors are yellows, oranges, reds, pinks, lavenders, bronzes, mahoganys, gold and bicolors.
Plant in full sun in an organic soil and keep well watered. Deadheading will promote additional flowering. Fertilize sparingly to prevent tall, weak growth. Divide in the spring every three years and discard the old center crown. They are largely trouble free.
Their heights range from 2-3 feet to 5-6 feet depending on the cultivar. Most have single flowers but a selection named Double Trouble is double flowered. All Helenium flowers are 2-3 inches in diameter and can continue flowering for eight weeks. They are good cut flowers.
Sources Species: Pine Ridge Gardens, London, Ark.; ph: 1.497.293.4359;
tulsaworld.com/pineridgegardens
Named cultivars: Bluestone Perennials, Madison, Ohio; ph: 800.852.5243;
tulsaworld.com/bluestoneperennials
Digging Dog Nursery, Albion, Calif.; ph; 1.707.937.1130;
tulsaworld.com/diggingdog
Wayside Gardens, Hodges. S.C., ph: 1.800.845;
tulsaworld.com/waysidegardens
We may never know why Helen chose to stay with Paris. But Heleniums are underrated hardy perennials and a mainstay in summer and autumn borders, and it is possible to have flowers from late June past October by the selection of different cultivars and deadheading.
Russell Studebaker is a professional horticulturist and garden writer in Tulsa, Oklahoma and may be reached at
russell.studebaker@cox.net
Original Print Headline: Helenium named for beauty
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