Everwilde Farms - 1000 Autumn Sneezeweed Native Wildflower Seeds - Gold Vault Jumbo Seed Packet

In spite of its name, no part of this plant causes sneezing; this name comes from the historical use of the leaves as a substitute for snuff. In former times, people often used snuff to induce sneezing in the belief that it would purge the body of evil. Linnaeus gave this family of plants the genus name Helenium in honor of Helen of Troy, remembering the myth that her tears produced a similar plant on the island of Pharos. Autumn Sneezeweed was known in Europe by 1729, and soon became a beloved addition to perennial gardens.