Helenium 'Baudirektor Linne'
As the hazy days of summer reach their peak, burnt colours come to the fore in the garden and a great perennial that looks fantastic at this time of year is Helenium 'Baudirektor Linne'. This cultivar reaches around 4ft (1.2m) and bears straight stems covered in coppery red flowers that age to dark copper, surrounding a brown central cone.
This clump-forming perennial needs staking but looks great in a mixed planting or with other perennials in a herbaceous planting. At RHS Garden Hyde Hall you can see this Helenium in the Herbaceous Border in the Hilltop Garden where it grows alongside other perennials with red, orange and yellow flowers in a vivid, hot-coloured combination.
Vital statistics
- Common name
- Sneezeweed 'Baudirektor Linne'
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Height & spread
- 1-1.5m (3-5ft) high by 50cm (20in) wide
- Form
- Clump-forming herbaceous perennial
- Soil
- Fertile, moist soil
- Aspect
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy
Helenium
A genus of about 40 species of annuals, biennials and perennials found in damp, swampy meadows or at woodland margins in North and Central America. They are mostly clump-forming plants with erect, branching stems and mid-green leaves.
The daisy-like flowerheads have prominent yellow or brown disc-florets and ray-florets in yellow, bronze, orange or red. Heleniums flower over a long period and are suitable for a sunny, mixed, or herbaceous border. The flowerheads are used for cutting and are attractive to bees. All parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested; contact with the foliage may aggravate skin allergies.
Helenium 'Baudirektor Linne'
'Baudirektor Linne' is a robust, erect, clump-forming perennial to 4ft (1.2m), sometimes taller, with large, lance-shaped leaves and single daisies to 8cm across. These flowers have brownish red outer rays that surround the central brown disk, from late summer. Regular deadheading will prolong its flowering period so you can enjoy it into the autumn.
Cultivation
- Requires a bright sunny position; looks especially radiant in afternoon sun.
- Performs best when well supported.
- It is relatively drought tolerant, but in very dry soils it may need additional watering.
- Deadhead to prolong flowering. After flowering ends, cut back stems.
- Pests – young foliage is prone to attack from slugs and snails.
- Disease – viruses cause stunting and distortion of leaves and flowers. Destroy any affected plants immediately.
Propagation
- Sow seeds in a cold frame in early spring.
- Divide clumps in spring taking outer shoots.
- Take basal cuttings in spring.
- Won't come true from seed.
AGM
The RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee awarded Helenium 'Baudirektor Linne' an Award of Garden Merit with the description:
'Height 1.7m. Good sparkling rich warm gold colour flowers streaked with orange-red. Even. Needs staking.'