Inula helenium / Elecampane

Elecampane is a member of the aster family that has naturalized itself in the Northeast US in disturbed areas like clearings, roadsides, and waste spaces. It has yellow sunflower-like flowers with narrow petals that bloom from July to September, and enjoys moist soils in full sun to part-shade.

The roots of this rhizomatic species have a wide variety of traditional medicinal uses, most commonly noted for its warming and stimulating expectorant effect as a lung tonic as well as its more general anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory nature.

For more information, please visit

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=277211#:~:text=Inula%20helenium%2C%20commonly%20called%20elecampane,to%20Minnesota%20south%20to%20North