Helenium 'Mardi Gras'

Helen's Flower

Helenium bear yellow or orange daisy-like composite flowers. Larger species may grow up to 2 metres tall. Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use - mainly from H. autumnale and H. bigelovii. They are useful plants for providing late summer and autumn colour. 'Mardi Gras' have a brown centre and yellow and orange 'tie dyed' petals which looks like skirts on the flower. These flowers can bloom for 6-8 weeks in the summer.

Contributed by @michaelhortus

plant Features

Full sun
Occasional watering
Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
Moist and rich

plant information

Common name

Helen's Flower

Latin name

Helenium 'Mardi Gras'

type

Herbaceous Perennials

family

Asteraceae

ph

5.0 - 7.0 Acid - Neutral

Light

Full sun
Frost

Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)

Soil

Moist and rich
Water

Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

Best time to plant

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Helens Flower is 0.30meters x 1.80meters

0.30 M 1.80 M

Helenium 'Mardi Gras'

Planting young plants

From Early Spring TO Early Spring

The soil should be fertile with a generous amount of organic manner in the form of compost, manure or other decayed organic matter in addition to, perhaps, an application of a complete fertiliser in spring. Heleniums should be grown in full sun average to moist soil with good drainage. They are drought tolerant, but should be watered on planting and regularly until established.

Propagating by division

From Mid Spring TO Late Spring

Divide the clumps in Spring, and replant the divisions where required, in a sunny position. Divide the clumps by digging the clump up with a garden fork, then putting two garden forks back-to-back into the clump, and levering apart.

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