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 carrying 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.
The genus name, Rudbeckia, honors the Swedish father and son, Olof Rudbeck (1630-1702) the Elder and Olof Rudbecki the Younger (1660–1740). Both were scientists and doctors of medicine, and the father was and founder of the Uppsala Botanic Garden in Sweden.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The environmental condition of the Mid-Atlantic have resulted in at least five coneflowers native to the Mid- Atlantic but they may be native to other places too. The coneflowers described here are native to at least three of the states in the Mid Atlantic.
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 flower heads 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: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware well as parts of the Southeast, Midwest, Southwest and New England.
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. Flower heads up to 3″ across have bright yellow to orange-yellow ray florets around a doomed, dark chocolate-brown center of disc florets. The flower heads 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: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland as well as places in the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and New England
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 up to 10″ long and may be deeply divided and lobed while upper leaves are smaller and may be lobed. The daisy-like flower heads are 3-4″ wide and have 8-12 reflexed yellow ray florets surrounding a dome-like center of 150-300 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: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland as well as places in the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and New England
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 flower heads 2-3″ across with 10-16 yellow ray florets surrounding a dome of up to 400 dark-purplish-brown disc florets. Flower heads 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: New York as well as places in the Southwest, Midwest, Southeast and New England
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. Flower heads appear singly or in pairs on the tips of the upper branches. Each flower head is .5-3″ across and has 6-12 golden yellow ray florets surrounding a flat center of purplish disc flowers. 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: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland as well as parts of the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast and New England
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 Mid-Atlantic region includes Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. The region is characterized by cold winters and hot summers, high humidity in summer along some areas along the coast, and precipitation between 32 and 52″ per year.