Sneezeweed

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score

0

Native Status

✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON

Closest Direction

Local

CEC Eco-Regions

5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians

Rarity Notes

Ranked S3 (Vulnerable) in Quebec, indicating limited populations provincially, while S4 (Apparently Secure) in Ontario. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. The species is globally secure (G5). Quebec populations are concentrated along major river corridors, particularly the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Rivers.

S22 G5, S4 ON, S3 QC; S26 SARA not listed; S54 QC specimens along river corridors

Rarity Ranks

QC S3 – Vulnerable, ON S4 – Apparently Secure

Migration

Stable

Ecological Context

Common sneezeweed is a facultative wetland species of moist to wet open habitats along the Ottawa River corridor. Typical sites include wet meadows, riverbanks, floodplain shores, and moist thickets over calcareous substrates. In the Outaouais, herbarium specimens document it along the Ottawa River from Lac Deschenes upstream through Pontiac county, often on rocky or gravelly flood-washed shores.

S63 sparse in Ottawa-Hull; S7 banks, floodplains, wet meadows; S48 specimen localities; S29 moist calcareous soils

Permaculture & Companion Planting

Roles

Fortress/Barrier, Insectary Plant, Pollinator Attractor

S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: spines? (supporting signal only)] | Insectary Plant: S64 NPPBI 'beneficial insects' flag] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]

Notes

No specific companion pairings documented. Functions as a late-season insectary plant in wet meadow or rain garden guilds, providing nectar and pollen to pollinators when few other species are in bloom. Deer and rabbit resistant, making it a useful fortress plant in exposed plantings.

S29 Bog Garden, Sunny Edge; S3 deer/rabbit resistant; S64 beneficial insects

Medicinal Properties

ℹ

Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.

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Category

Sternutatory, Analgesic, Febrifuge, Cold Remedy, Respiratory Aid, Alterative, Laxative, Gastrointestinal Aid, Gynecological Aid, Antitumor

S28 Moerman categories; S29 PFAF categories

Notes

Extensively used by Indigenous peoples. Cherokee used powdered dry leaves as snuff to induce sneezing and root infusions as gynecological aids. Menominee applied compounded dried flowers to temples for headache and used flower head infusions as alteratives. Meskwaki used disk florets as snuff for colds and catarrh, and floret infusions for stomach ailments. The plant contains helenalin, a sesquiterpene lactone with demonstrated antitumor activity.

S28 Moerman ethnobotanical records; S29 helenalin antitumor

Edibility & Foraging

ℹ

Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.

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❌ Not Edible   

Foraging Notes

Not edible. The plant is poisonous if ingested and contains sesquiterpene lactones including helenalin. PFAF rates edibility at 0/5. No food uses are recorded in the Moerman ethnobotanical database.

S29 Edibility 0/5; S4 poisonous; S28 no food category uses

Toxicity

☠️ High Toxicity

Contains the sesquiterpene lactone helenalin, which is severely toxic to livestock, especially ruminants. Symptoms of ingestion include salivation, elevated temperature and pulse, difficulty breathing, vomiting, convulsions, congestion of kidneys and liver, necrotic areas in lungs, and irritation of the digestive tract. Contact with the plant may cause dermatitis in sensitive individuals. Also toxic to fish and worms.

S4 sesquiterpene lactone, symptoms; S10 livestock poisoning, organ damage; S29 helenalin, dermatitis, toxic to fish

Seed Source

• Localeaf