Known as coneflowers and black-eyed-susans, the genus Rudbeckia is native to both damp woodlands and dry prairies of North America. It belongs to the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow and lettuce. Most species are herbaceous perennials but some may be annuals or biennials. They are clump-forming, grow 20″ to 10′ tall, and have erect stems and coarse, deeply lobed hairy leaves that are 2-10″ long. Terminal flowerheads are daisy-like with drooping yellow or orange ray florets surrounding a cone shaped center of greenish or brown to black disc florets. Rudbeckias are easy to grow and do well in sun or light shade in moderately fertile to average, well-drained soil, and are drought and heat resistant once established. Plants are suitable for the border, and in a meadow or prairie garden. The flowers are good in the vase. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The environmental conditions in New England have resulted in five native species of coneflowers there although they may be native to other areas too. The cornflowers described here are native to at least one of the states in New England.
Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Plants form a basal rosette of leaves that are up to 5″ long, ovate to lanceolate, and evergreen in warm climates. The flowerheads are up to 2.5″ across and have yellow ray florets surrounding a center of brownish purple disc florets. Plants are tolerant of heat, humidity and drought when established and their seeds attract songbirds. Flowers are good in the vase.
Alternate Name/s: Black-eyed susan
Native Range: Connecticut well as parts of the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest.
Habitat: Meadows, pastures, thickets, glades, and open woods
Type: Perennial
Height: 2-3′
Bloom Time: Early summer to fall
Bloom Color: Orange to yellow, purple black
Light: Full sun; tolerates partial shade
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Stiff branched stems arise from a basal rosette of lance-shaped, hairy leaves up to 7″ long. Flowerheads up to 3″ across have bright yellow to orange-yellow ray florets around a domed, dark chocolate-brown center of disc florets. The flowerheads are attractive to butterflies and other pollinators and the seeds are attractive to birds. The flowering stems are good in the vase.
Alternate Name/s: Brown-eyed susan, yellow ox-eye daisy, brown betty, golden Jerusalem, English bull’s eye, gloriosa daisy
Native Range: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut as well as places in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, Rocky Mountain area, and Southwest.
Habitat: Open areas, prairie, meadows, pastures, plains, savannas, woodlands’ edge
Type: Annual (can be biennial or short-lived perennial depending on the growing conditions)
Height: 24-36″
Bloom Time: Early summer to fall
Bloom Color: Yellow to orange-yellow with dark chocolate brown
Light: Full sun
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-7
Photo Credit: Pandries, Wikipedia
Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)
The light green lower leaves are 15-50″ long and may be deeply divided and lobed while upper leaves are 3 to 15 .5″ long and may be lobed. The daisy-like flowerheads are 3-4″ wide and have reflexed yellow ray florets surrounding a dome-like center of green disc florets that turn brown with maturity. The flowers are attractive to butterflies and other pollinators and the seeds are attractive to birds. Plants tend to spread rapidly and are best used in large landscapes.
Alternate Name/s: Green-headed coneflower, greenhead coneflower, wild goldenglow, sochan, thimbleweed
Native Range: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut as well as places in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, Rocky Mountain area, and Southwest.
Habitat: Wet areas in flood plains, along stream banks, and in moist woodlands
Type: Perennial
Height: 2-10′ in the wild, 3-4′ in cultivation
Bloom Time: Mid summer to mid fall
Bloom Color: Yellow with green center
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Photo Credit: Jerzy Opioła, Wikipedia
Sweet Coneflower (Rudbeckia subtomentosa)
Basal and lower leaves are grayish green, lobed, toothed, up to 8″ long, and hairy on the underside. The branched stems have spreading hairs and carry flowerheads 2-3″ across with 10-16 yellow ray florets surrounding a dome of up to 400 dark-purplish-brown disc florets. Flowerheads attract bees and other pollinators and plants provide food for butterfly larvae. Tolerant of heat, humidity, and some drought.
Alternate Name/s: Sweet black-eyed susan
Native Range: Massachusetts and Connecticut as well as places in the Southwest, Midwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic
Habitat: Wet prairies, woodland edges, along stream banks
Type: Perennial
Height: 3-5
Bloom Time: Mid summer to mid fall
Bloom Color: Yellow with dark brown to purplish center
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba)
Densely-branched stems are hairy and carry thin, roughly textured, hairy leaves. Basal leaves are 3-6″ long, may be lobed, and may be evergreen in warm climates. Flowerheads appear singly or in pairs on the tips of the upper branches. Each flowerhead is .5-3″ across and has 6-12 golden yellow ray florets surrounding a flat center of purplish disc flores. Plants attract butterflies and other pollinators including native bees and are tolerant of heat, some drought, and light shade. Seeds are attractive to birds. Flowers are good in the vase.
Alternate Name/s: Thin-leaved coneflower, three-leaved coneflower, branched coneflower
Native Range: Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut as well as parts of the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic
Habitat: Prairies, woodland borders, thickets, rocky slopes, and along streams
Type: Biennial or short-lived perennial
Height: 3-5′
Bloom Time: Mid summer to frost
Bloom Color: Golden yellow with dark brown center
Light: Full sun
Soil: Average, medium moist, well drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8
Photo Credit: Fritzflohrreynolds, Wikimedia Commons
The New England area includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The area offers three distinct seasons and a diverse geography with rivers, lakes, forests, mountains, and coast lines on both the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound. The winters are long, cold, and heavy snow is common from December to February. Summer is short with temperatures between 80 and 85 F. Precipitation averages about 45″ as rain and 60-90″ as snow.