Coneflower

Coneflower (Rudbeckia) - N. American plants, with showy yellow flower-heads, usually with a dark central cone, making striking plants for the hardy border, flowering in late summer and autumn.

Coneflower Pictures

Dracopis amplexicaulis

Dracopis amplexicaulis (Vahl) Cass.

Dracopis amplexicaulis (Vahl) Cass

Dracopis amplexicaulis

Echinacea sanguinea Nutt

Related Flowers

Excepting R. maxima, in a long gardening experience I have found no difficulty in maintaining a stock of all these Cone-flowers. R. pinnata, R. laciniata, and R. hirta ripen plenty of seed every year. I never found ripe seed on any of the others, but they are all easily divided; the whole tribe likes a rich moist soil and a warm aspect.—C.W.D.

Rudbeckia Californica

Rudbeckia Californica - Largest in size of flower and cone, the flower being often about 6 inches across, and the cone 2 inches high; leaves, flower-stalks, and roots are equally robust. The flowers come early in July; they have few and horizontal rays, and are solitary on the stalks, their size making up for their small number, and the whole plant having a majestic appearance, with its broad, plantain-like leaves.

Rudbeckia Hirta

Rudbeckia Hirta - By Asa Gray said to be "annual or biennial," and it certainly requires frequent renewal from seed. Two-year-old plants begin to flower early in June, and continue gay through summer. It is well to select the largest and most golden flowers for seed. This species always attracts notice in my garden from the bright color of the rays and the good contrast of the black cone.

Rudbeckia Laciniata

Rudbeckia Laciniata - Tallest of the Coneflowers, 7 to 10 feet high. The leaves are unevenly divided into narrow ribbons, or cut into larger lobes, different individuals varying much in leafage. The flower is large, the rays curved downwards so as nearly to touch the stalk, and the cone is greenish. Plants live many years without spreading much, but are easily divided, and self-sown seedlings come up round if the seed escapes the green linnets and chaffinches, which delight to eat it.

Rudbeckia Maxima

Rudbeckia Maxima - A handsome plant 6 or 7 feet high, having flowers densely set with broad golden rays produced in August and September. The large glaucous oval and entire leaf at once distinguishes it from others of the genus. Native of the warmer States of America.

Rudbeckia Nitida

Rudbeckia Nitida - The general habit of this is that of R. laciniata, but the leaves are less incised than in any of that species; the flowers, though smaller in outline, are more regular and plentiful, and have broader and more golden rays. They begin to open when R. laciniata is over, and continue into November.

Rudbeckia Pinnata

Rudbeckia Pinnata - Flowers from July until hard frosts overpower it. It is not a long-lived plant, getting too hard and woody at the base to continue to break well, so it is better to keep a few seedlings on hand. Seed is abundantly produced and easily raised. Grows from 4 to 5 feet.

Rudbeckia Purpurea

Rudbeckia Purpurea - In this distinct Coneflower the ray florets are of a reddish or rose-purple hue, and the flowers are fully 4 inches across. When fully established the plants reach 3 to 4 feet high, and are effective on account of their free-flowering and erect habit. The plant only rarely produces seeds, and these are generally slow to vegetate, so much so that it is best rather to rely on careful division of the root to ensure maintaining a stock. Other kinds closely allied to this species are R. pallida, R. angustifolia, R. purpurea intermedia, a fine form with branching habit, and R. p. serotina.

Rudbeckia Speciosa

Rudbeckia Speciosa - It is so well known that I need say little more than advise those, who wish it to succeed in hot and dry summers, to dress the surface with rich compost and to water it well, or it withers prematurely. The garden form, speciosa conspicua, comes into flower sooner, and gives a longer season for cutting.

Rudbeckia Subtomentosa

Rudbeckia Subtomentosa - In this the flowers show hardly any raised cone; the disc is very black, and the golden rays, about an inch long, continue horizontal, so that it would hardly be taken for a Cone-flower. It grows 4 feet high, flowering late and very freely. Division.