Green-Head Coneflower is a herbaceous perennial that grows 3 to 10 feet tall with a tall and lanky appearance, although it may only reach half that height when cultivated. The species epithet, lacinata , means "deeply cut or divided" and refers to the lobed leaves. The plant prefers moist soil but grows well in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade and is often found in woods, meadows, streambanks, and roadside ditches. The plant tolerates hot, humid summers, but can spread aggressively by underground rhizomes. To keep the plant under control, divide clumps and deadhead old flowers to encourage rebloom. Green-Head Coneflower displays 2- to 4-inch yellow flowers from late summer into the fall. Foliage is divided into 1 or 2 pairs of toothed lobes on the bottom leaves, while upper leaves may or may not be lobed. A rosette of leaves that originate at the base of the stem persists through the winter, creating an attractive winter ground cover. Butterflies are attracted to nectar from the blooms and songbirds, especially American Goldfinches, eat the seed in the fall. Native bees nest in the dead, hollow stems, so gardeners are encouraged to cut back dead stems to 12 to 24 inches and allow them to remain standing until they disintegrate on their own. Read more about best practices for stem-nesting bees in this NC Extension publication . Good for meadows and open areas. This plant was selected as the 1995 NC Wildflower of the Year , a program managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with some financial support from the Garden Club of North Carolina. Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No known serious insect or disease problems. Taller plants may need support. It can be weedy. Deer readily eat it down to the ground. Additional video- Part of the Native Plant Picks series from the North Carolina Sea Grant led Coastal Landscapes Initiative . More information on Rudbeckia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High; Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Lobed
Leaf feel
Prickly
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, > 6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Lower leaves may be divided into 1 or 2 pairs of broad, toothed lobes; upper leaves may be lobed or not lobed. Pinnate light green leaves. Leaves have a tendency to droop.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower value
Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Two to four inch daisy-like flowers; six to ten droopy yellow petals; greenish yellow center. Blooms from July to October.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
Displays from August to November
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Branching stems. The stems are light green, terete, usually glabrous, and sometimes glaucous.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern North America
Wildlife value
This plant supports Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata) larvae. Nectar and pollen attract butterflies and bees. Songbirds, especially American Goldfinches, eat the seed in the fall. Dead stems are used by stem-nesting bees.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds