Bob Brown discovered a chance perennial seedling with beautiful streaked orange-yellow flowers in his English nursery. He propagated for early flowering and a long flowering period. The result of his selection program was Helenium Mardi Gras which produces a riot of multicolored blooms with stiff skirts for six to eight weeks in summer. In late June through early August, it forms upright clumps with sturdy stems that sway gracefully in summer breezes. See more here.