2019 October Plant of the Month BWSR Featured Plant Name: Green-headed coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) Plant family: Asteraceae (Aster) Right: Green- A member of the aster family, green- headed coneflower is frequented headed coneflower, AKA cut-leaf by a variety of coneflower or tall coneflower, is one pollinators. of several Rudbeckia species native to Below: The leaves Minnesota. Easily of green-headed differentiated Plant Stats coneflower can from its relatives grow 10 inches WETLAND long and 10 inches by its tall stature INDICATOR wide near the base. STATUS: FACW and unique Photo Credits: inflorescence, it’s PRIMARY USES: BWSR frequently visited Pollinators' by a variety of nectar source; birds's seed pollinators. Deer source generally avoid the plant, which makes it an ideal addition to landscapes with moist soils and room for it to grow. Green-headed coneflower thrives in riparian areas, where it can expand into large clumps. Identification Range This lanky perennial can wide. The center disks Green-headed grow 4 to 9 feet tall, turn from green to golden- coneflower is branching from its upper brown later in the fall. common in most half. It tends to grow Single or multiple smooth, Minnesota counties. in clumps from seed light green stems rise from It’s native to all or spreading rhizomes. the base. Large basal and states across the Flowers appear from July lower stem leaves can Lower 48 except for through September. Their reach 10 inches long and three: California, green, cone-shaped center wide; they’re irregularly Nevada and Oregon. disks are surrounded by toothed and deeply lobed. It is typically found six to 12 bright yellow, Higher up the stem, the around wetland drooping petals. Those ray leaves are smaller with areas, along streams, Range map source: USDA Natural flowers grow 2 to 3 inches shorter stalks. close to ponds, Resources Conservation Service’s Plants floodplains and in Database wet woodlands. www.bwsr.state.mn.us 1 Planting Recommendations Uses Easy to grow from seed, Flowers’ pollen and nectar attract a green-headed coneflowers variety of bees, butterflies, pollinating can spread aggressively flies, beneficial wasps, skippers and by rhizomes in a favorable moths. Silvery checkerspot butterfly environment. They prefer larvae forage on its leaves. Goldfinches moist soils and full to part sun. eat its seeds in the fall. Deer and other Seeds of all varieties require herbivores seem to dislike the foliage, cold-and-moist stratification so this plant can thrive in landscapes or gardens otherwise prone to browsing. to break dormancy and enable The plant provides structure and cover germination. When seed is for wildlife, and helps to stabilize soil spread in late fall, stratification and control riparian erosion. can occur naturally over winter. Give these plants enough room; they’ll grow up to 9 feet tall with a 2- to 4-foot spread. The species is tolerant A lanky perennial, green-headed coneflower can grow of seasonal flooding and wet up to 9 feet tall. soils. Similar Species Very close in appearance is the gray-headed coneflower dark brown in color. The flowers of sneezeweed (Helenium (Ratibida pinnata). It, too, has lobed leaves, but they are autumnale) are similar in shape to those of green-headed more finely divided. The stems and leaves are also hairy. coneflower, but sneezeweed is shorter, with a winged stem, The center of the inflorescence is more oval in shape and notched ray flowers and unlobed leaves. Far left: The lobes of gray-headed coneflowers’ leaves are narrower.Three images at right: Sneezeweed has winged stems and notched ray flowers. Reference Minnesota Wildflowers https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/cut-leaf-coneflower Developed by Katy Thompson www.bwsr.state.mn.us 2.