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Rudbeckia maxima (Giant coneflower)
Marcus, Joseph A.

Rudbeckia maxima

Rudbeckia maxima Nutt.

Giant Coneflower, Great Coneflower, Giant Brown-eyed Susan, Cabbage Coneflower

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: ruma3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Giant Coneflower has clumps of silvery-blue foliage that give rise to stately flower stalks. The flowers have intense yellow ray flowers that dangle from tall brown centers. It should be cut back to the base after blooming to keep tidy and be planted in mass for best effect in landscapes.

 

From the Image Gallery

55 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 8 feet tall.
Leaf: Gray-Green
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Brown
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AR , LA , OK , SC , TX
Native Distribution: Northeastern and eastern Texas, northwestern Louisiana, southwestern Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. Records from South Carolina are for introduced plants.
Native Habitat: Found in moist open places. Forming beds in low ground, sandy or silty soils; east Texas west to East Cross Timbers. Commonly on moist roadside ditches.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Drought Tolerance: Low
Conditions Comments: The flowers have intense yellow petals that dangle from tall brown centers. Clumps of silvery-blue foliage give rise to stately flower stalks.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Makes a good cut flower.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FAC FAC FACW FAC
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Williamson County Chapter - Georgetown, TX
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-1066 Collected 2007-07-22 in Harrison County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

1 collection(s) available in the Wildflower Center Seed Bank

Bibliography

Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. Wasowski

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Rudbeckia maxima in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Rudbeckia maxima in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Rudbeckia maxima

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-13
Research By: TWC Staff

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