HELENIUM. Sneezeweed. North and South America. Their unlovely (and probably undeserved) common name notwithstanding, these are beautiful daisies, often lighting up mountain meadows in summer and fall. Those described below are western native perennials, forming attractive crowns of shiny, strap shaped leaves. Both carry large, long lasting flower heads above the foliage. Sun, well drained soil, regular watering. Hardy to well below 0^oF.

bigelovii. This is a common and welcome sight for travelers in the high Sierra. It makes tight crowns of bright, shiny leaves up to 10" long. Flower heads up to 2½” across are borne on 1-3’ stems in late summer and fall. The many rays are bright to golden yellow in color, while the centers range from yellow to deep purple. This has long been one of my favorite native perennials.

hoopesii. A little larger than the last, this species has crowns of dark green leaves up to 1’ long. The flower heads are borne several in each cluster, measure up to 3" broad individually and are colored, in our material, a uniform bright orange. This species can be difficult to maintain in hot summer areas.