September Native Plant Spotlight
Our native plant spotlight for September is the Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata), also known as the Green-headed Coneflower or Tall Coneflower. A well-known genus within the Aster Family, there are 4 native Rudbeckia species to Ohio; Cutleaf Coneflower, Black-Eyed Susan, Brown-Eyed Susan, and Orange Coneflower.
This perennial species can grow up to 10 feet tall and has beautiful yellow flowers that bloom between June and October. Flower heads are 2-4 inches wide and consist of a green, yellow, or brown disk at their center depending on which stage of their life cycle they’re in. The most distinctive appearance is oftentimes when the disk florets are protruding from the disk as the flower matures. It can have anywhere from 6 to 16 yellow ray florets radiating out and drooping downward as Black-Eyed Susan’s sometimes do.
There may be one stem or multiple present at the base of the plant that often branches again further up. The stems are hairless and waxy and may have a blue-gray sheen. The leaf’s appearance changes from the base of the flower up towards its head. Lower on the stem, the leaves are much larger, growing 1 foot long and 1 foot wide at most, and typically have 3, 5, or 7 deep lobes. The terminal lobe may be divided into a couple smaller lobes as well. As you move up the plant, the leaves are much smaller and often do not have lobes. All the leaves attach to petioles protruding from the main stem, with longer petioles on the lower leaves than on the upper leaves.
Cutleaf Coneflower grows in areas with saturated soil, often along stream banks, floodplains, wet meadows, etc. They do best in full sun but can tolerate partially shaded and even fully shaded areas. They are flood tolerant and very resistant to hot and humid summers but are not as drought tolerant and may show signs of stress during those periods. Cutleaf Coneflower can readily spread in an area via their underground rhizome structures that grow laterally. Because they establish quickly, they do well in sloped areas and can be a good species to plant if you are looking to stabilize banks from erosion. This species also works well in rain gardens or to restore a natural area. Since Cutleaf Coneflower can be a prolific spreader, ensure you plant it in an area with plenty of space and monitor its growth to make sure it doesn’t crowd out other species in your garden.
Cutleaf Coneflower provides benefits to a wide variety of pollinators and wildlife such as long and short tongued bees, goldfinches, butterflies, wasps, and moths. It is also a larval host for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly, Wavy-lined Emerald moth, and Common Pug moth. This species is fairly resistant to most wildlife and can bounce back quickly if eaten. The bloom time of this species is vital as a late summer nectar and pollen source for insects. It even provides birds with seeds as a food source before their fall migration. The hollowed-out stems of the plant can also provide critical habitat for insect hibernation during the winter season. First year stems are often too thick for insects to break through and hibernate in, but second year stems tend to hollow out. Leaving the stems and seed heads for winter is always a great source of winter food for wildlife.
You can harvest Cutleaf Coneflower seeds in fall, normally anywhere from September to October. Some signs that the seeds may be ready for harvesting are when the petals have fallen off and the seed head is brown and dry. Cut the seed head off and after fully drying it out, shake or rub the seeds off and into a container. The seeds will need to be cold stratified before germination, either by planting in fall or placing in the refrigerator before planting in spring.
