Sneezewort

Sneezewort: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Upright perennial, 60 cm tall and 50 cm wide, spreading by creeping rhizomes.

Leaves

Narrow and lance-shaped, undivided and finely toothed, dark green.

Flower

Loose clusters of white flower heads 1–2 cm across, from July to September; double, like small pompons, in the cultivars.

Stems

Thin and firm, but the double forms sometimes flop after a shower.

Roots

Creeping rhizomes just below the surface, forming wide clumps.

Flowering: July–September · Sowing: March–May · Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March and August

Why grow it?

• A native plant that attracts bees, hoverflies and butterflies.
• Flowers late in summer, from July to September.
• Grows where it is wet: beside a pond, in a moist border or in a damp corner.
• An excellent cut flower: the double forms in particular last a long time in a vase.
• Very hardy and easy, even on acid soil.

Sneezewort: where does it grow best?

• Sun or part shade; it flowers best in full sun, as long as the soil stays moist.
• Moist to wet soil: sand, loam, clay or peat, preferably acid to neutral.
• Ideal beside a pond or ditch or in a damp corner; it dislikes drought.
• Plant 50 cm apart, about 4 plants per m².
• Give it a spot where it may spread a little, or plant it in a bottomless bucket.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam, clay or peat

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

0.6 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Purple loosestrife: Purple spikes beside the white clusters, in the same wet soil.
• Hemp agrimony: Also native, with dusky pink clusters that attract butterflies.
• Meadowsweet: Creamy, scented plumes along the same pond edge.
• Siberian iris: Narrow, grassy leaves and blue flowers in May–June.

Sneezewort: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant from March to May or in September–October, when the ground is not frozen.
2. Dig a hole slightly wider than the pot and mix in a spadeful of compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and firm the soil well.
4. Leave 50 cm between plants.
5. Water well and keep the soil moist for the first few weeks.
6. A mulch of leaf mould keeps the soil cool and moist.

Care

Water

It wants soil that never dries out: water generously in dry summers.

Feeding

A little compost in spring; no more, or the stems turn floppy.

Support

Double forms sometimes flop after rain: put in a plant support in May or let them grow between sturdy neighbours.

Spent flowers

Cut faded clusters back to a side shoot: this gives a second flush until September.

Runners

In spring, chop off runners that have spread too far with a sharp spade.

Tip: Plant it in a bottomless bucket if you want it to stay put: the rhizomes stay in check and you will have less chopping to do.

Sneezewort: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and August.

When: Remove faded flowers in August; cut the old stems down to just above the ground in March.

How:

• In summer, cut faded clusters back to a healthy side bud or side shoot.
• Leave the stems standing in winter: they give shelter to insects.
• In March cut all old stems back to 5 cm above the ground, before the new shoots appear.

Caution: The sap can irritate sensitive skin: wear gloves when pruning.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or in October: lift a piece of the clump or a runner with roots and replant it straight away. Dividing every 3–4 years keeps the plant vigorous.

Seed

Indoors in March–April or outdoors in April–May: scatter the fine seed on moist compost and press it in without covering, as it needs light to germinate. Double forms do not always come true from seed.

Sneezewort: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The top growth dies back in winter; leave the stems until March.
• In a pot: keep the compost slightly moist and stand the pot in a sheltered spot.

Diseases and pests

• Spreading: The rhizomes creep in among other plants. Chop off the edges every spring or plant it in a bottomless bucket.
• Flopping: Floppy stems after rain or on soil that is too rich. Give support and do not feed.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry weather. Water at the base and cut off affected stems.
• Aphids: On the stem tips in June. Spray off with water; ladybirds help too.

Through the year

• March: Cut back old stems. Divide. Sow indoors.
• April: Chop off runners. Plant. Sow outdoors.
• May: Plant. Put in supports. Sow outdoors.
• June: Water in dry spells. Watch for aphids.
• July: Flowering begins. Cut flowers for a bouquet.
• August: Remove faded clusters for a second flush.
• September: Second flush. Plant.
• October: Plant or divide.
• November: Leave the stems for insects.
• December: Rest.

Edible and useful

Not edible. Fern-leaf yarrow and sneezewort are mildly poisonous: eating them causes vomiting and diarrhoea, in children as well as in dogs, cats and horses. Sneezewort is so called because it was once used as snuff: do not sniff or eat any of it. The leaves and sap can cause a rash in sensitive people, sometimes worse in sunlight: wear gloves if you prune or divide a lot. They are not kitchen herbs: do not use them in tea or salad. Do not plant them in or beside a field, and do not throw trimmings near the feed. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The name ptarmica comes from a Greek word for sneezing: the dried leaves were once used to make sneezing powder.
• Unlike most yarrows, it has undivided leaves rather than finely divided, feathery ones.
• In the wild it is a typical plant of damp, unimproved hay meadows.