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 Swedish scientists and doctors of medicine, and the father was the 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 flowerheads 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. Flowerheads up to 3″ across have bright yellow to orange-yellow ray florets around a doomed, dark chocolate-brown center of disc florets. The flowerheads 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 flowerheads 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. Flowerheads appear singly or in pairs on the tips of the upper branches. Each flowerhead 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.

Dwarf palmetto, also known as swamp palmetto, is  native to the deep southeastern and south-central United States and northeastern Mexico where it grows in a variety of habitats, including maritime forests, swamps, ravines, bottomlands, and floodplains. A member of the palm family, Arecaceae, the plant grows up to 10′ tall and may have a short trunk up to 12″ in diameter or a subterranean trunk and appear trunkless. Large fan-shaped, blue green to dark green leaves 1-5′ long are produced on smooth long petioles. Each leaf is palmately divided into 30- 40 leaflets that are joined for over half their length. In summer, large compound panicles up to 6′ long appear beyond the leaves and carry fragrant, small, yellowish flowers. The fruit is a single seeded, black drupe about 1/2″ long and attractive to birds and small mammals. Dwarf palmetto is drought and moderately salt tolerant, and brings a tropical look to a garden. It may form suckering colonies in damp soil and is useful in a rain garden. The genus name, Sabal, is of uncertain origin but may be from be from a South American or Mexican name. The specific epithet, minor, is the Latin word meaning smaller.

Type: Evergreen tree

Outstanding Feature: Foliage

Form: Rounded

Growth Rate: Slow

Bloom: Large compound panicles up to 6′ long with fragrant, small, yellowish flowers in summer

Size: 4-10′ H x 4-8′ W

Light: Part shade to full sun

Soil: Average, consistently moist, well-drained; drought tolerant, moderately salt tolerant

Hardiness: Zones 7-10

Care: Mulch in winter in colder part of range

Pests and Diseases: None of significance

Propagation: Seed

Outstanding Selections: ‘Savannah Silver’

Photo Credit David J. Stang Wikimedia Commons

Camassias are perennial bulbous plants in the Asparagus family, Asparagaceae, that also includes yucca, bluebell and spider plant. They are native to the US where they grow in moist meadows across the nation in all major regions except New England. Plants grow 12 to 50″ tall and have a basal rosette of strap-shaped linear leaves that are 8-32″ long, appear in the early spring and tend to wither after flowering. In summer, multiple flowers are carried in terminal racemes above the foliage. Each flower is star-shaped and has six white to pale lilac to deep purple or blue-violet petal-like tepals. The flowers are often good in the vase.

Although Camassias prefer full sun they tolerate partial shade as well as short term wet and clay soil . They are fairly cold-hardy and resistant to pests and diseases. The bulbs produce offsets that can be used to propagate the plants but seed is a possibility too if waiting several years for flowering is acceptable. The genus name, Camassia, comes from the Native American Indian name of kamas or quamash for a genus whose bulb was once used by native Americans and settlers as a food source. Photo Credit: Eric in SF, Wikipedia

The environmental conditions of the Mid-Atlantic resulted in at least one species of Camassia native there but it is native to other regions also. The Camassia described here is native to at least two states in the Mid-Atlantic.

Atlantic Camas (Camassia scilloides)

Floppy grass-like leaves are 6-12 inches long and form a low basal rosette up to 18″ wide. Flowering stalks are 18-24″ tall and carry terminal racemes of numerous flowers. Each flower is 3/4-1″ across and has 6 bright yellow anthers surrounded by light blue-violet to almost white tepals that spread widely from the center of the flower. The flowers attract various pollinators including honey bees, bumble bees, and occasionally butterflies.

Alternate Name/s: Wild camas, eastern hyacinth

Native Range: Pennsylvania and Maryland as well as places in the Southwest, Midwest and Southeast

Habitat:  Prairies, savannahs, open woodlands, rocky wooded slopes, and limestone glades

Type: Perennial

Height: 8-12″

Bloom Time: Mid to late spring

Bloom Color: Pale blue to whitish

Light: Full sun to partial sun

Soil: Fertile, medium moist, well-drained

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

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.

Also known as dune bluestem, seaside little bluestem, and shore little bluestem, this warm season perennial grass is native to dunes on the Atlantic and Gulf seacoast from Massachusetts to Texas. It is a member of the grass family, Poaceae, that also includes rice, corn, and bamboo. The plant grows as a clump 1-2′ tall and has coarse blue-green stems with purplish basal leaves that turn bronze with age. The narrow leaves are 4-10″ long and smooth, but frequently hairy near the base. The lowermost parts of plant are usually buried in sand where the stems root at the nodes. From late summer to mid fall, narrow racemes of purple-bronze flower spikelets appear well above the foliage and are followed by fluffy, silvery-white seed heads. Coastal little blue stem grass is tolerant of heat, drought, salt spray and nutrient poor soils but not flooding or moist, fertile soil. It provides cover for ground birds and small mammals and is valued for use in coastal gardens as well as for erosion control on frontal back dune and secondary dune systems. The genus name, Schizachyrium, ancient Greek words σχίζειν (schizein), meaning to split, and ἄχυρον (achyron), meaning chaff referring to either the glume or the toothed lemmas of the grass inflorescence. The specific epithet, littorale, comes from the Latin word litus meaning shore and refers to the favored habitat of the plant.

Type: Warm season perennial grass

Bloom: Narrow racemes of purple-bronze flower spikelets in late summer to mid fall

Size: 1-2′ H x 1-2′ W

Light: Full sun

Soil: Sandy, dry to medium moist, well-drained; highly salt tolerant but not tolerant of flooding

Hardiness: Zones 4-9

Care: Cut to the ground in late winter to early spring

Pests and Diseases: None of significance

Propagation: Division, seed

Companion Plants: Beach evening primrose, dune sunflower, seaside goldenrod

Photo Credit: Larry Allain USGS

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 botanist Olof Rudbeck the Younger and his father, Olof Rudbeck the Elder.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The environmental conditions in the Southeast have resulted in at least nine native species of coneflower there although they may be native to other areas in too. The coneflowers described here are native to at least one of the states in the Southeast.

Eared Coneflower (Rudbeckia auriculata)

Stems up to 10′ tall are branched at the top and carry oval or lance-shaped leaves up to 2′ long. The flowerheads are carried in open clusters of 10 or more and are 2-3″ across. Each flowerhead consists of 8-14 yellow ray florets surrounding a center of 150-200 brown-purple disc florets. Plants tend to lean if grown in rich soil and may need staking. This species is rare and localized.

Click here for image.

Alternate Name/s: Alabama coneflower, swamp black-eyed-susan

Native Range: Alabama, Georgia, and Florida,

Habitat: Acid bogs

Type: Perennial

Height: 8-10′

Bloom Time: Late summer into fall

Bloom Color: Yellow

Light: Full to part sun

Soil: Moist to wet

USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-8

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 flowerheads 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: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee as well as parts of the Southwest, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic 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

Photo Credit: Jerzy Opioła, Wikipedia

Grass-leaved Coneflower (Rudbeckia gramnifolia)

With small grass-like leaves, this unusual coneflower has solitary flowerheads that are terminal and about 1″ across. Each flowerhead has 8-16 orangish red to maroon, drooping ray florets surrounding a center of 50-300+ disc florets that are maroon to brown-purple.

Alternate Name/s:  Narrowleaf coneflower

Native Range: Panhandle of Florida

Habitat: Wet pine savannas and flatwoods near and in the Apalachicola National Forest; bogs, often in shallow water

Type: Annual to short lived perennial

Height: 1-2′

Bloom Time: Spring to fall

Bloom Color: Brick red

Light: Full sun

Soil: Wet, sandy

USDA Hardiness Zones: 8-9

Photo Credit: USDA

Rough Coneflower (Rudbeckia grandiflora)

Hairy stems grow from a woody base and carry hairy leaves 2.5-6″ long. Terminal flowerheads appear singly and are 3-4″ across. They are composed of 8-12 yellow drooping rays florets around a brownish-purple center up to 1.25″ tall. The flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators and are good in the vase. The seeds attract birds. Plants are tolerant of heat, humidity, and drought.

Alternate Name/s: Tall coneflower, large flower coneflower

Native Range: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Kentucky as well as places in the Southwest and Midwest

Habitat:  Dry open woods, prairies

Type: Perennial

Height: 2.5-5′

Bloom Time: Late summer into fall

Bloom Color: Yellow, brownish purple

Light: Full sun

Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-8

Photo Credit: Mason Brock, Wikipedia

Sunfacing Coneflower (Rudbeckia heliopsidis)

Oval leaves are 2.4-8″ long and have rounded bases and pointed tips. Four to eight flowerheads are carried in loose clusters and are 3″ across. Each flowerhead consists of 6-12 yellow ray florets surrounding a center of 100-200+ yellowish green to purple-brown disc florets. Just like sunflowers, the flowerheads follow the path of the sun during the day. Rare species.

For photo click here.

Alternate Name/s: Pineywoods coneflower, Little River Black-eyed Susan

Native Range: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and possibly, Mississippi

Habitat: Wetlands, riparian areas, seeps, limestone or sandstone glades, woodlands and grasslands

Type: Perennial

Height: 2-4′

Bloom Time: Summer to fall

Bloom Color: Yellow

Light: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Evenly moist, well-drained soils; drought and heat resistant once established

USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-8

Black-Eyed-Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Stiff branched stems arise from a basal rosette of lance-shaped, hairy leaves up to 7″ long. Flowerheads 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: Native Range: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee as well as parts of the Southwest, Rocky Mountain area, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic 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 15-50″ long and may be deeply divided and lobed while upper leaves are 3 to 15 .5″ long and may be lobed. The daisy-like flowerheads are 3-4″ wide and have reflexed yellow ray florets surrounding a dome-like center of 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: Native Range: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee as well as parts of the Southwest, Rocky Mountain area, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic 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

Great Coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima)

Clumps of silvery-blue leaves up to 24″ long gives rise to sparsely-leaved flower stalks up to 7′ tall. The flowerheads are up to 3″ across and have reflexed yellow ray florets surrounding a dark brown center of disc flower 2-6″ tall. The flowerheads attract butterflies and the seeds attract birds. Flowers are good in both fresh and dried arrangements. Plants tolerate light shade, heat, some drought and a wide range of soils.

Alternate Name/s: Giant coneflower, giant brown-eyed susan, cabbage coneflower, swamp coneflower

Native Range: Louisiana and Arkansas as well as places in the Southwest

Habitat: Moist sunny sites such as prairies, meadows, pastures,

Type: Perennial

Height: 5-7

Bloom Time: Early to mid summer

Bloom Color: yellow with dark brown center

Light: Full sun

Soil: Average, organically rich, moist, well-drained

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Missouri Coneflower (Rudbeckia missouriensis)

This long-lived perennial forms a basal clump of narrow, green, hairy leaves 2-5″ long. Hairy branched steams carry daisy-like flowerheads with yellow to orange ray florets around a center of dark brown to black disc florets. The flowerheads attract butterflies and other pollinators including bees and are good in the vase. The plants tolerate heat, humidity, and some drought.

Alternate Name/s: Missouri orange coneflower

Native Range: Louisiana and Arkansas as well as well as parts of the Southwest and Midwest

Habitat:  Limestone glades in the Ozark, rocky prairies

Type: Perennial

Height: 2-3′

Bloom Time: Summer to early fall

Bloom Color: Orange to yellow, dark brown to black enter

Light: Full sun

Soil:  Average, dry to medium, well-drained soils 

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-8

Photo Credit: 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 flowerheads 2-3″ across with 10-16 yellow ray florets surrounding a dome of up to 400 dark-purplish-brown disc florets. Flowerheads 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: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky as well as places in the Midwest and Southwest

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

Black Belt Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia terranigrae)

Very little information is available about this plant perhaps because it appears to be rather lanky when many other more attractive Rudbeckia are available for the garden. The leaves are coarse, large, and are clustered mid-stem. The daisy-like flowerheads are carried in loose open clusters and appear to have at least 12 yellow ray florets surrounding a dark center of disc florets. Click here for images.

Alternate Name/s: Blackland coneflower, blackearth coneflower

Native Range: Missouri as well as places in the Southwest and Southeast

Habitat:  Prairie

Type: Perennial

Height: Relatively tall

Bloom Time: Late summer into fall

Bloom Color: Yellow

Light: Sun

Soil: Average, moderately moist, well-drained; tolerates some dryness (?)

USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-9

Texas Coneflower (Rudbeckia texana)

Glossy, dark green basal leaves are 3.5-10″ long and have a leathery texture. Branched stems carry flowerheads 3-5″ across. The flower heads may be solitary or in small clusters of 2-5 and consist of reflexed golden ray florets surrounding a tall dome of dark brown disc flowers. Plants attract butterflies and other pollinators. The seeds attract birds.

Alternate Name/s: Shiny coneflower

Native Range: Louisiana as well as places in the Southwest

Habitat:  Coastal prairie

Type: Perennial

Height: 4-6′

Bloom Time: Late spring to fall

Bloom Color: Yellow, brown centers

Light: Full sun, part shade

Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained

USDA Hardiness Zones: 8-9

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. Flowerheads appear singly or in pairs on the tips of the upper branches. Each flowerhead 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: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee as well as parts of the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic 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 Southeast includes Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida. Most of these states are characterized by  hot, humid summers and cool to mild winters, with Florida’s tip being tropical. Summers are generally hot and humid throughout the entire region. Precipitation is abundant in the area and comes mostly in the form of rain.

Also known as wild olive and devilwood, this evergreen shrub or small tree is native to the coastal forests along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico from Virginia to Texas. It is a member of the olive family, Oleaceae, that also includes ash, jasmine, and privet. The plant usually grows up to 25′ tall but may reach 36′ tall, and has a short trunk branching near the ground, and gray-brown bark with warty lenticels. The simple, opposite, leathery leaves are 2- 4.5″ long, elliptical, and have smooth to slightly wavy margins. They are dark green on top with a rusty underside and turn yellow-green in the fall if the plant is grown in the sun. In early spring, branched clusters of urn-shaped, creamy white flowers appear in the leaf axils. They are .4″ long and have a strong fragrance. The fruit is a dark blue drupe .24-.59″ across with a single seed. It matures in the fall and is attractive to birds and small mammals. American olive tolerates drought, occasional flooding, salt spray, and deer. It is a good choice for hedge or screen or use in wildlife, fragrance, and seaside gardens. The origin of the genus name, Cartrema, is uncertain. The specific epithet is the Latinized name for America, the area where the plant is native.

 Type: Evergreen shrub or small tree

Outstanding Feature: Fragrant flowers

Form: Oval

Growth Rate: Slow

Bloom: Creamy white clusters of fragrant flowers in early spring

Size: 15-25′ H x 10-15′ W

Light: Full sun to part shade; tolerates almost deep shade

Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained but tolerates some drought and occasional flooding

Hardiness: Zones 6-9

Care: Low maintenance

Pests and Diseases: None of significance

Propagation: Seed (2 years to germination); tip cuttings

Photo Credit: Homer Edward Price Wikimedia Commons

Camassia are perennial bulbous plants in the Asparagus family, Asparagaceae, that also includes yucca, bluebell and spider plant. They are native to the US where they grow in moist meadows across the nation in all major regions except New England. Plants grow 12 to 50″ tall and have a basal rosette of strap-shaped linear leaves that are 8-32″ long, appear in the early spring and tend to wither after flowering. In summer, multiple flowers are carried in terminal racemes above the foliage. Each flower is star-shaped and has six white to pale lilac to deep purple or blue-violet petal-like tepals. The flowers are often good in the vase.

Although Camassias prefer full sun they tolerate partial shade as well as short term wet and clay soil . They are fairly cold-hardy and resistant to pests and diseases. The bulbs produce offsets that can be used to propagate the plants but seed is a possibility too if waiting several years for flowering is acceptable. The genus name, Camassia, comes from the Native American Indian name of kamas or quamash for a genus whose bulb was once used by native Americans and settlers as a food source. Photo Credit: Eric in SF,Wikipedia

The environmental conditions of the Southwest have resulted in at least two species of Camassia native there but they may be native to other regions also. The Camassias described here are native to at least two states in the Southwest.

Prairie Camas (Camassia angusta)

Six to twelve, linear, strap-shaped leaves are up to 14″ long and form an upright to drooping basal clump 18″ across. One or more flowering stalks up to 30″ tall carry 4-12″ long terminal racemes of 20-89 lavender to pale purple flowers. Each flower is 3/4″ in diameter, has 6 tepals surrounding conspicuous stamens with yellow anthers, and attract various insects including butterflies and both long-tongued and short-tongued bees.

Alternate Name/s: Prairie hyacinth, wild hyacinth

Native Range: Texas and Oklahoma as well as areas in the Midwest and Southeast

Habitat:  Prairie, savannah, open woodland

Type: Perennial

Height: 24-30″

Bloom Time: Mid to late spring

Bloom Color:  White, blue, purple, or violet 

Light: Full sun to light shade

Soil: Fertile, humusy, consistently moist, well-drained, acidic

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-8

Photo Credit: Scot Namestnik, SERNEC

Atlantic Camas (Camassia scilloides)

Floppy grass-like leaves are 6-12 inches long and form a low basal rosette up to 18″ wide. Flowering stalks are 18-24″ tall and carry terminal racemes of numerous flowers. Each flower is 3/4-1″ across and has 6 bright yellow anthers surrounded by light blue-violet to almost white tepals that spread widely from the center of the flower. The flowers attract various pollinators including honey bees, bumble bees, and occasionally butterflies.

Alternate Name/s: Wild camas, eastern hyacinth

Native Range: Texas and Oklahoma as well as places in the Midwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic

Habitat:  Prairies, savannahs, open woodlands, rocky wooded slopes, and limestone glades

Type: Perennial

Height: 8-12″

Bloom Time: Mid to late spring

Bloom Color: Pale blue to whitish

Light: Full sun to partial sun

Soil: Fertile, medium moist, well-drained

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

For the purpose of this article, the Southwest includes the states of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona. Other states often associated with the Southwest are included in other geographic areas. The key factor linking these four states is aridity. The area includes high dry plains and true deserts as well as spurs of the Rocky Mountains. Only Texas has a coast on the ocean which brings more precipitation and humidity to east Texas and Oklahoma than elsewhere in the area. In addition to the ocean, the Rio Grande and Colorado Rivers are significant water features in the area. Although temperatures in the mountains can be cool, most of the area experiences hot temperatures for a long period each year.

Also known as silver beachweed and silver bur ragweed, this herbaceous perennial is native to maritime strand beaches and dunes of western North America from Baja California to Alaska. It is a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes sunflower, yarrow, and lettuce. The plant grows up to 4′ tall from a tap root and has succulent stems that are hairy, longitudinally ridged, and sprawl to form a mat up to 10′ wide. The woolly, silver-green leaves are variable in size and shape; they may be .5-2″ long, oblanceolate to elliptical to triangular, and toothed, or pinnately lobed or divided. In summer, yellow green male and female flowerheads appear on flowering stems of the same plant. The male flowerheads are at the tip of the stems with female flowerheads clustered beneath them. Each male flowerhead is cup-shaped, about 4 to 8 mm wide and contains 8 to 50 tiny pale florets. Each female flowerhead contains a single tiny floret that lacks petals and develops into an ovoid, bur-like fruit. The fruit is almost 1/2″ wide and is covered with sharp spines. Beach bur is tolerant of drought, salt spray, and is valued for use in stabilizing beaches and restoring sand dunes. The genus name, Ambrosia, is from the ancient Greek word ἀμβροσία (ambrosía) meaning immortality. The specific epithet, chamissonis, honors German botanist and poet Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838). 

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Bloom: Green to yellow male and female flowerheads on the same plant in summer

Size: 4′ H x 10′ W

Light: Full sun

Soil: Sandy, dry to medium moist, well-drained

Hardiness: Zones 9-10

Care: Low maintenance

Pests and Diseases: Leafhopper

Propagation: Seed, layering, division

Companion Plants: Sand verbenas (Abronia spp), Beach evening primrose (Camissonia cheiranthifolia), saltgrass (Distichlis spicata)

Photo Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz Wikimedia Commons

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. The coarse, hairy leaves are deeply lobed and 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 conditions in the Midwest have resulted in at least nine species of native coneflowers there but they may be native to other places too. The coneflowers described here are native to at least two of the states in the Midwest.

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 flowerheads 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: Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio as well as parts of the Southwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic 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

Photo Credit: Jerzy Opioła, Wikipedia

Rough Coneflower (Rudbeckia grandiflora)

Hairy stems grow from a woody base and carry hairy leaves 2.5-6″ long. Terminal flowerheads appear singly and are 3-4″ across. They are composed of 8-12 yellow drooping rays florets around a brownish-purple center up to 1.25″ tall and attract butterflies and other pollinators. The seeds attract birds and the flowerheads are good in the vase. Plants are tolerant of heat, humidity, and drought.

Alternate Name/s: Tall coneflower, large flower coneflower

Native Range: Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas well as places in the Southwest and Southeast

Habitat:  Dry open woods, prairies

Type: Perennial

Height: 2.5-5′

Bloom Time: Late summer into fall

Bloom Color: Yellow, brownish purple

Light: Full sun

Soil: Average, medium moist, well-drained

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-8

Photo Credit: Mason Brock, Wikipedia

Black-Eyed-Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Stiff branched stems arise from a basal rosette of lance-shaped, hairy leaves up to 7″ long. Flowerheads up to 3″ across have bright yellow to orange-yellow ray florets around a domed, dark chocolate-brown center of disc florets. The flowerheads 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: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio as well as places in the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Southeast, Mid Atlantic, 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: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio as well as places in the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Southeast, Mid Atlantic, 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

Great Coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima)

Clumps of silvery-blue leaves up to 24″ long gives rise to sparsely-leaved flower stalks up to 7′ tall. The flowerheads are up to 3″ across and have reflexed yellow ray florets surrounding a dark brown center of disc flower 2-6″ tall. The flowerheads attract butterflies and the seeds attract birds. Flowers are good in both fresh and dried arrangements. Plants tolerate light shade, heat, some drought and a wide range of soils.

Alternate Name/s: Giant coneflower, giant brown-eyed susan, cabbage coneflower, swamp coneflower

Native Range: Missouri as well as places in the Southeast and Southwest

Habitat: Moist sunny sites such as prairies, meadows, pastures,

Type: Perennial

Height: 5-7

Bloom Time: Early to mid summer

Bloom Color: yellow with dark brown center

Light: Full sun

Soil: Average, organically rich, moist, well-drained

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Missouri Coneflower (Rudbeckia missouriensis)

This long-lived perennial forms a basal clump of narrow, green, hairy leaves 2-5″ long. Hairy branched steams carry daisy-like flowerheads with yellow to orange ray florets around a center of dark brown to black disc florets. The flowerheads attract butterflies and other pollinators including bees and are good in the vase. The plants tolerate heat, humidity, and some drought.

Alternate Name/s: Missouri orange coneflower

Native Range: Missouri and Illinois as well as well as parts of the Southeast and Southwest

Habitat:  Limestone glades in the Ozark, rocky prairies

Type: Perennial

Height: 2-3′

Bloom Time: Summer to early fall

Bloom Color: Orange to yellow, dark brown to black enter

Light: Full sun

Soil:  Average, dry to medium, well-drained soils 

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-8

Photo Credit: 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 flowerheads 2-3″ across with 10-16 yellow ray florets surrounding a dome of up to 400 dark-purplish-brown disc florets. Flowerheads 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: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana as well as places in the Southwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic 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

Black Belt Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia terranigrae)

Very little information is available about this plant perhaps because it appears to be rather lanky when many other more attractive Rudbeckia are available for the garden. The leaves are coarse, large, and are clustered mid-stem. The daisy-like flowerheads are carried in loose open clusters and appear to have at least 12 yellow ray florets surrounding a dark center of disc florets. Click here for images.

Alternate Name/s: Blackland coneflower, blackearth coneflower

Native Range: Missouri as well as places in the Southwest and Southeast

Habitat:  Prairie

Type: Perennial

Height: Relatively tall

Bloom Time: Late summer into fall

Bloom Color: Yellow

Light: Sun

Soil: Average, moderately moist, well-drained; tolerates some dryness (?)

USDA Hardiness Zones: (Guestimate) 7-9

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 flowerhead 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: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio as well as parts of the Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, 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 Midwest comprises Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The area includes lakes, mountains, and vast fertile plains that are the “bread basket” of the nation. The climate of the Midwest has great variations in temperatures with hot humid temperature averaging 85-95 F in summer and winter temperatures often falling below 0 F. Precipitation comes in the form of both rain and snow and varies from 43.6″/year to 18.8″/year. These environmental conditions have resulted in at least seven species of coneflower native to the Midwest, although they may be native to other areas too.

Also called bayhops, beach morning glory, seaside yam and goat’s foot, this evergreen, creeping, perennial vine is native to tropical and subtropical coastal areas around the world, growing especially on upper beaches and dunes. It is a member of the bindweed family, Convolvulaceae, that also includes sweet potato, Hawaiian baby wood rose, and dodder.  The plant grows 6-16″ high from a taproot and has a succulent stem. The stem grows up to 100′ long quickly and may form adventitious roots at nodes that are 3- 7″ apart. The dark green leathery leaves are 3-4.75″ long, may be ovate, orbicular, or oblong, and usually have a deeply notched apex that resembles the hoof of a goat, giving rise to the common name, goat’s foot. The petioles are 1-6″ long and may be reddish when young, becoming yellowish-green with maturity. A pair of nectar-producing glands at the juncture of the leaf blade and petiole attracts ants that ward off insects. Leaves and stems contain a white sap that may protect plants from pests. Cymes of one to several flowers are produced in the leaf axils year-round but mostly in warm weather, spring through fall. They are funnel-shaped, up to 2.5″ wide, and have 5 fused petals that are pale pink to lavender to reddish purple petals with a darker rose-purple throat. Like other morning glories, the flowers last only one day, opening in the morning on sunny days and closing by early afternoon. On shady days they may open and close later in the day. Pollinated primarily by bees, but also visited by butterflies, moths, flies, beetles and wasps, the flowers give way to dehiscent capsules that are 0.5 to 0.75 inches long and wide, The capsules are green maturing to gray, and contain 4 rounded to 3-sided seeds that are 0.25 to 0.35 inches long and covered with dense velvety hairs. Railroad vine is tolerant of lean soil, drought, heat, salt spray, wind, and occasional inundations of salt water so is an excellent choice for beach stabilization and dune restoration, as well as for use as a ground cover in seaside, pollinator and native plant gardens. The genus name, Ipomoea, comes from ancient Greek words   ἴψ (íps) meaning wormwood,  and ὅμοιος (hómoios)  meaning resembling, and refers to the coiled, worm-like flower buds of members of this genus.  The specific epithet, pes-caprae, are the Latin words meaning foot of a goat, and refer to the shape of the leaves.

Type: Evergreen herbaceous perennial vine

Bloom: Funnel-shaped flowers with 5 fused petals that are pale pink to lavender to reddish purple petals with a darker rose-purple throat, from spring to fall

Size: 6-16″ H x Up to 100′ length

Light: Full sun

Soil: Sandy, lean, dry to medium moist, well-drained; drought tolerant; tolerates occasional salt water inundations

Hardiness: Zones 9-11

Care: Low maintenance; control spread if necessary

Pests and Diseases: Generally healthy but can suffer damage by beetles, scale, mealy bug, slugs, leaf spot and rust.

Propagation: Stem cuttings, division, seed (scarify)

Companion Plants: Sea ox-eye, pink muhly grass, baybean

Photo Credit: B.navez Wikimedia Commons