Helenium

Family Asteraceae. The genus is presumably named after the wife of King Menelaus — Helen, who, according to legend, was abducted by Paris.

Description: native to North and Central America. More than 30 species are known. Annual or perennial rhizomatous, herbaceous plants. Heleniums do not have a perennial rhizome. Flowering stems die back in winter along with the roots. However, the buds formed on the underground part of the annual stem by that time produce a rosette of leaves with roots. This rosette produces the flowering stem the following year. In other words, Heleniums do not form a clump in the usual sense, but consist of closely seated independent plants. Stems are erect, branched near the top, up to 160 cm tall. Leaves are alternate, lanceolate. Inflorescences are heads (capitula), solitary or arranged in corymbiform clusters. Ray florets are ligulate, yellow, orange, purple, brown or bicolored; central florets are tubular, yellow or brown. Achenes are oblong-cylindrical, slightly pubescent.

Among the small group of perennials that bloom in autumn, Helenium deserves special attention. The vigorous clumps of this plant are covered with flowers in yellow-red-brown tones that harmonize with the surrounding autumn colors.

Position: Heleniums are light-loving but tolerate partial shade.

Soil: prefer fertile, well-cultivated, moisture-retentive neutral soils.

Care: in dry and hot weather they need abundant watering. They respond well to organic and mineral fertilization (2–3 times during the summer). Plants are winter-hardy, but if not divided for more than 3–4 years, the rosettes may suffer frost. The reason is that buds are formed higher on the stem each year and eventually end up above ground. Division is often necessary also because large, rapidly spreading clumps greatly deplete the soil. Flowering can be prolonged by shortening some stems in June. Those stems will branch and bloom later. In winter, faded stems are cut to the ground.

Propagation of Helenium: by division of the clump and by seed, which are sown in autumn or spring into the ground or in trays. Seeds germinate on the surface in 14–20 days at +18–22°C. Seedlings are pricked out at the stage of two to three true leaves; planting out into the ground is done in early June, keeping 30–35 cm between plants. Young plants bloom the following year. Autumn Helenium (Helenium autumnale) and hybrids are best divided in May. Helenium divides easily; when dug up the plant breaks into separate rosettes with roots. Spacing between plants 80–100 cm.

Uses of Helenium: Helenium is planted at the back of large flower borders, near ornamental shrubs, in groups or singly, near fences and buildings that it is desirable to screen with plants. Helenium combines excellently with autumn-flowering perennial asters. Its inflorescences are very good in autumn bouquets; they are cut fully open because they do not open further in water.