Helenium 'Hot Lava'

RHS Plant Profile

sneezeweed 'Hot Lava'

Herbaceous Perennial

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A fairly compact, clump-forming perennial to around 80cm high, with branching stems bearing narrow green leaves. Flowers open with yellow petals streaked with red, before turning deep crimson and then fading to burnt orange; petals are held flat and don't droop. Flowers from midsummer into autumn

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H7

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Asteraceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Helenium may be upright, clump-forming annuals, biennials or herbaceous perennials with simple leaves and showy daisy-like flower-heads over a long period
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in full sun in fertile, moisture-retentive, humus-rich soil. Keep well watered in summer dry spells. Tall stems may need support (see staking perennials). Divide every two to three years to maintain vigour

Propagation

Propagate by basal softwood cuttings in spring, or by division in spring or late autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Prairie planting
Wildlife gardens
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required, but chopping or pinching out a section of plants in late spring can result in bushier growth that flowers slightly later, hiding leggy stems. Deadheading will also prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to stem and bulb eelworm, tortrix moth, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, leaf spot, verticillium wilt and virus diseases