I thought it would be fun to swap pics and experiences of different varieties. As many as you want. Close-ups, garden shots, don't matter!

At work we have some 'Short n' Sassy' that I have been wondering about. I'm not sure it looks different enough [in color] from 'Mardi Gras' to warrant me getting one. Since space is at a premium I like to get distinctly different ones!

They had a nice 'Moerheim Beauty' at another local nursery, along with one called 'Chelsey' that had no flowers yet.

Here are mine!

'Mardi Gras' with seedling from 'Green Jewel' Coneflower

MG with Pennisetum 'Karley Rose'

'Rubenzwerg'- stand out red shade!

'Coppelia' with golden 'Mops' Cypress in back

'Tie Dye' with blue oat grass

'Zimbelstern' in his full glory! Never has he been so big. He is as tall as I am (about 5ft 3in).

Zim with a non-variegated seedling of 'Becky Towe' phlox

Front sunny-side garden with 'Mardi Gras', bronze fennel in middle, & 'Zimbelstern' in back

It's been linked to a few times before, but here is an incredible site dedicated to Helenium! Below...
CMK

I just had a quick look at the link you provided I had no idea there were so many different varieties. Another perennial we don't see much in the garden centers around here :(.

Annette

From July 20, 2014 house

From July 20, 2014 house

This is the sole survivor of a severe vole attack out of 6 seed grown plants, and is just starting to bloom now. I think it's the one I liked the best of the 6, so I am glad it survived, but I think I will see if I am able to grow others from seed. It's about a foot taller than Mardi Gras.

From August 16, 2014

Last September I was delighted to see what I assume is the species growing along the Green River in Canyonlands National Park, UT.

For us, they bridge the gap between most phlox and then fall asters and monkshood.

Had three, however, which started coming into bloom in mid July; namely, 'Sahin's Early Flower', 'The Bishop' and 'Wyndley'.

Particularly like the tallest of those, 'Sahin's Early Flowerer' (Picture below: August 14, 14). Think it has the largest flowers I've seen on an helenium.

Then last year I planted Dancing Flames in my garden and my friend's. Her are spectacular, 3 feet tall, gorgeous color, and a non-stop bloom machine! Mine? They've barely grown from the size they were when planted, and had a few nice but measly blooms. But I'm hoping next year they take off. I think my friend's soil is radioactive or something since everything we plant in it grows three times bigger than advertised, lol.

CMK, LOVE that Rubenszwerg! Wow! I definitely want to try more of these plants, but I'm a bit worried that they are not long-lived, after my experience so far. Do they reseed at all? Mine didn't seem to, but I've never had enough of them to really tell.

Dee

Like all the heleniums I've grown, it needs division (even separation of the new plantlets?) and replanting with upgraded soil every few years, at least in our growing conditions.

Without this, we get shorter and less floriferous plants, which over a few years just peter away.

They also don't do so well without either rain or attention to watering.

These heleniums might be a bit too much work for me - I never seem to get around to dividing stuff. But mine are in good soil, so that's a plus. I'll have to try to stay on top of these (she says yet again....)

:)
Dee

I do think that, for some gardeners, helenium is a high maintenance perennial that can take too much time to maintain over years; at least if they have a lot of it.

I was always very pleased with the stand of Helenium autumnale below (in a garden I planted and maintained). However, I used to pull the stand to pieces, after it was cut back in fall and then replanted four or five dozen plantlets, every three years. Found four years was too long. Also upgraded the soil.

You read that heleniums are "heavy feeders" and maybe it works, using a fertilizer (as long as too much is not used).

The garden above had as sprinkler system that worked very well for the heleniums.

Have six foot 'Sonnenwunder' in our garden. I don't cut down heleniums in spring to get branching and blooming at a lower height. Over a couple of years the 'Sonnenwunder' regularly blooms at a lower height, reminding me to divide and replant it for next year.

Picture: August 31, 2009.

-Doug, definitely give one a try someday! I couldn't imagine not having them in my garden now...

-nhbabs, I think 'Mardi Gras' is probably the most floriferous plant I grow. Like the seed grown one you have. I've been meaning to try growing some by seed in hopes of getting some oddballs.

-Dee, I've never found any naturally reseeding unfortunately.

-SunnyB, wonderful pictures & phenomenal color! This reminds me that I want a phlox behind the Mardi Gras in the backyard. Maybe one of those weirdoes like 'Natural Feelings'...
CMK

This year I have "Moerheim Beauty" in my garden and it is doing really well. You can see it planted in front of the grey-blue leaves of Cynara cardunculus.

Is that a Sanguisorba in the background of 2nd pic?

I really like that MH Beauty. Good to know it turns orange later on...that is something I had wondered about.

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing and please share lots more with us in the future! ;-)
CMK

Interesting GP about the colour change in 'Moerheim Beauty'.

I had it in the past, but it only last three years.
Too late to check for colour change!

Haven't noticed colour change in our longer lived 'Rubinzwerg', 'Ruby Tuesday' or 'Red Jewel'.

Yes that is Sanguisorba "Pink Brushes" in the second picture.

Here is a close-up of the flowers.

(Rudbeckia "Viette's Little Suzy" is in the background)

The only other Helenium I grow is a seed mix ("Helena"), which turned out to be all yellow. I'll be trying other kinds.

Interesting that many of the photos show the heleniums in full bloomr are just starting to bloom. My Mardi Gras is almost done and just has seedheads. Wonder why.

One of my favourites, 'Feuersiegel', yesterday.

Yesterday.

I've wanted to add a few more varieties this year, but I don't see them in my local nurseries. Can anyone recommend some mail order sources?

Kevin

Not bad for their first year!

Annette

-Eric, that pic should be in a nursery catalog. I would totally buy 'Salsa' based on that pic!
CMK

Based on the ethics of nursery site webmasters, it's not unlikely...

And I am ever so envious of those of you who have so many of those that I'd like to acquire. But I can't find them anywhere for sale. Forest Farm doesn't have any I want, Digging Dog is out of two that I do want, Bluestone has become ridiculously expensive and only has one listed I want anyway......

Hopefully there will be more sources next spring