It is native to much of the south-central United States (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico)[4] and northern Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila),[5] and it is present elsewhere in North America, Australia, and the West Indies as an introduced species.

[4][6][7][8] Helenium amarum is a multibranched bushy erect plant reaching 20 to 70 centimeters (8-28 inches) in height and thickly foliated in narrow to threadlike leaves.

The tops of stem branches hold inflorescences of many daisy-like flower heads.

Each head has a rounded center of sometimes as many as 250 golden yellow disc florets and a fringe of 8-10 usually lighter yellow ray florets which are reflexed away from the center.

[5] The plant is somewhat toxic to mammals[9] and insects[10] due to the presence of the lactone tenulin.