Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Helenium 'Waltraut'
Waltraut Sneezeweed
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Height
- 3-4 feet tall
- Width
- 1-2 feet wide
- Flower color
- Shades of orange and red
- Foliage color
- Green, lance-shaped leaves
- Bloom time
- Late summer to early fall
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low; deadhead spent blooms to encourage longer blooming and cut back in late fall
- Growing zone
- USDA Zones 3-8
- Wildlife
- Attracts butterflies and bees
About this plant
Helenium 'Waltraut' is a beautiful cultivar known for its vibrant, multi-colored blooms that range in shades of bronze-yellow, orange, and red, with each petal featuring delicately fringed edges. The flowers' dark brown centers are edged in gold, adding a touch of warmth and contrast to the rich petal colors. This cultivar, originating from selections of North American native species, brings a cheerful, sunlit glow to late-season gardens.
Blooming from midsummer through early fall, 'Waltraut' is a magnet for pollinators like bees and butterflies, enlivening the garden with color and activity. Its warm tones and long-lasting blooms make it a stunning choice for borders, mixed beds, or naturalized areas, where its bold hues contribute to the transition from summer to autumn, harmonizing beautifully with other late-season perennials.
Works well in
Borders · Sun Gardens · Pollinator Gardens · Cut Flower Gardens
Companion plants
Bee balm · Yarrow · Ornamental grasses · Garden phlox · Black-eyed Susans · Daylilies
Design tip
Late flowers extend the season, so set it behind or beside plants that finish in midsummer. Give it open sun and room to fill out, and repeat it in threes or fives so the planting reads as one sweep instead of scattered dots.
