Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-headed/ cutleaf coneflower)

Green-headed coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

Height, Spread: 3-10 ft, 1.5-3 ft

Water/Soil: Average-moist, well-drained, most soil types

Light: Full sun-part shade

Bloom: Summer-fall, greenish-yellow center surrounded by yellow petals

Native Range: Most of USA except west coast 

Qualities: Attractive to pollinators

Notes: Herbaceous perennial wildflower commonly found on stream banks, meadows, and woodland margins. It is attractive to pollinators and is a larval host plant for the Wavy-lined Emerald moth (Synchlora aerata). Birds eat its seeds in the winter, especially American Goldfinches (Spinus tristis). This species can spread aggressively via rhizome, so it is best planted in naturalized areas such as meadows or prairies.