Mystery Macro #5

Our last close-up is not Rudbeckia, but that’s a darn good guess, Crane. It’s a Helenium ‘Mardi Gras’. Check it out at photo #3. More on that colorful gem in half a mo, but first, back to the cover shot. 

Take a gander at this week’s incredible--if I do say so myself--macro view of the center disk of a-- What on earth is this? My metaphorical spouse calls this week’s Mystery Macro a ‘ring of fire’. What do you call it? You can see more of the plant at pic number two, and in full floral flesh at 3rd and Dayton. But hurry--notice already the progression of inflorescence.

OK, back to Helenium ‘Mardis Gras’; what’s the story? The name's a good place to start: ‘Helenium’ comes from the Greek word for ‘sun’--‘helios’. You can tell that by its smiling, sunny appearance. The ‘Helianthus’, or sunflower, is in the same family as our Helenium, as are Rudbeckia, Echinacea, and Gaillardia, to name a few other closely related Asterids.

The yellow rays of Helenium are splashed with shades of red in our ‘Mardi Gras’ cultivar, which arose by chance in England seventeen years ago. The species Helenium, however, is native to this continent, its seeds having first traveled back to the Old World along with other such early baggage as gold and potatoes. 

The common name for Mystery Macro #4 is sneezeweed (you can see it again at today's third photo). Native Americans reportedly crumbled the dried outer flowers, or rays, to make a snuff that allowed them to expel bad spirits.

Helenium is easy to grow, drought tolerant, and can stand some wetness--making it a great choice for this or any other corner around here. Every time I’ve visited my favorite Helenium patch at 2nd and Dayton, the honey bees have been disturbingly active, but, of course, they need all the help they can get. 

So, do yourself and the planet a favor--check out this winner with an eye to putting it in the garden next year, or next door.