Already have a gorgeous Sneezeweed (Helenium) in your garden and found the perfect spot for another one? Well, you’re in luck! There’s no need to run to the nursery and drop more cash—unless you’re eyeing a brand-new variety, of course. These prolific bloomers are actually super easy to propagate yourself.
Here’s the lowdown on how to get more of these sun-loving beauties for your yard.
The Best Ways to Propagate Helenium
Helenium, or Sneezeweed as we often call it, gives us a few different ways to grow new plants naturally. You’ve got three main options:
- Division
- Seeds
- Stem cuttings
Dividing Your Perennials in the Spring
If you have an older, established clump that’s looking nice and sturdy, spring is the perfect time to split it into two (or even more!) separate plants. You can also do this in the fall if that fits your schedule better. Here’s how to do it:
- Carefully dig up the entire plant.
- Use a sharp spade to slice through the root ball.
- Focus on the outer sections—they’re the most vigorous and make the best new plants.
- The center of an old clump is often “spent” or woody, so feel free to toss that part in the compost.
- Get your new divisions into the ground immediately at a suitable location.
- Make sure to space them at least 12 inches apart.
Pro Tip:
Even if you don’t need more plants, you should divide your Sneezeweed every 3 to 4 years anyway. It rejuvenates the plant and keeps it blooming its best!
Starting from Seed in the Spring
You can collect ripe seeds from your plants in the fall or grab a packet from the store. If you’re growing a hybrid variety, buying seeds is usually the better bet, as seeds saved from hybrids won’t always look like the parent plant. Here’s the game plan for spring sowing:
- Keep your seeds in a cool, dark, dry place until you’re ready.
- Start them indoors in pots from mid-February through late March.
- Use a lean seed-starting mix.
- Sneezeweed seeds need light to germinate! Press them firmly into the soil, but don’t cover them with dirt.
- Keep them around 70°F (20°C). You should see sprouts in 1 to 2 weeks.
- Once those first little leaves (cotyledons) appear, move them to a cooler spot.
- Thin them out or move them to bigger pots after about three weeks if they’re getting crowded.
Even though Helenium is very winter hardy, these little youngsters aren’t quite tough enough for the elements yet. Wait until after the last frost in mid-May to transplant them into the garden.
Rooting Cuttings in the Summer
Rooting cuttings is usually the “Plan C” for this plant, mostly because division and seeds are just so much easier and more reliable. However, if you’re already pruning in the summer and have some good material left over, you can give it a shot. Look for “basal cuttings”—these are side shoots from the base of the plant that might already have a little root thickening.
- Fill small pots with seed-starting soil.
- Stick the cuttings into the soil right up to the leaves.
- Keep the soil consistently moist.
- Let them spend their first winter indoors or in a protected spot.
- Plant them out in the garden the following spring.
