Sneezeweed and 'Shocking' Lilies in the main south garden. Helenium is a genus of about 40 herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to North America and Central America. They bear yellow or orange daisy-like flowers. A number of these species (particularly Helenium autumnale) are commonly known as sneezeweed based on the former use of its dried leaves in making snuff, inhaled to cause sneezing that would supposedly rid the body of evil spirits. (Wikipedia)