helenium
/hɛˈliːnɪəm
/noun
An American plant of the daisy family, which bears many red to yellow flowers, each having a prominent central disc.
- Genus Helenium, family Compositae.
- Dead-head daisies and heleniums to lengthen their season.
- Inula helenium, a large plant, related to the sunflower, which grows wild in Europe and has become naturalized in N. America.
Origin
Modern Latin, from Greek helenion. The term originally denoted the herb elecampane, possibly in commemoration of Helen of Troy (said to have planted elecampane on the island of Pharos); the current designation was adopted by Linnaeus in the 18th century.