Helenium autumnale

Helenium autumnale

Helenium autumnale is a flowering perennial plant for sun.  It generally blooms in September & October.  The common name is common sneezeweed & it is commonly available at most nurseries during the later part of summer.  It is also called Helen's flower.  The name genus name Helenium comes from the Greek word for another plant named for Helen of Troy & autumnale means 'pertaining to autumn'.  Helenium autumnale is native to North America where it is widespread across the US & Canada.  The only state where it has not been found to grow is New Hampshire.  I'm not sure they have looked hard enough in that state.  The flowers are yellow, orange, brick red, or a combination of those colors.  Helenium autumnale grows to about 3 feet tall & requires a moderate amount of water.  It also tolerates wetness.  It is not the most beautiful of plants, but the flowers are pretty & the colors bold.  It blooms at a time when there is little else.

The Hawthorne District in Portland

These photos were taken in October 2014.

In my opinion, as an infrequent but regular visitor to Portland, the Hawthorne District is the 3rd most interesting neighborhood in Portland, after the Alphabet District & the Pearl District.  It has the most interesting business district east of the Willamette River.  I have only come here when I had a car, which has not been often.  Portland has a very walkable central core west of the river, accessible by bus & train from Seattle.  Southeast Portland devotes more land to residential areas with business districts far apart.  I like the Hawthorne District.  There are shops & restaurants in interesting old buildings.  It is a charming urban landscape.  See it before it has been replaced by large apartment buildings with ground floor  retail, as has happened in many Seattle neighborhood business districts.  Fremont was once something like this.