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Rudbeckia maxima - Giant coneflower from New Moon Nurseries

Rudbeckia maxima - Giant coneflower from New Moon Nurseries USDA, NRCS. 2012. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 11 October 2012). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA. Rudbeckia maxima - Giant coneflower from New Moon Nurseries Rudbeckia maxima - Giant coneflower from New Moon Nurseries

Rudbeckia maxima

Giant coneflower

Native to North America


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FIRST IMPRESSIONS:  Rudbeckia maxima is a super-sized black-eyed Susan with sturdy upright stems and a strong architectural presence.  The bold attractive basal leaves average 2’ long with a lovely bluish waxy patina.  Stalks rise from the foliage and are terminated in early summer by bright yellow daisies.  Each daisy-like head consists of a beefy elongated dark brown cone and a ring of drooping rays. This unique species thrives in sunny sites with deep moist soils or in average garden conditions.

HABITAT & HARDINESS:  Rudbeckia maxima is indigenous to moist sunny sites including prairies, meadows, pastures, roadside ditches and fields in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas. Oklahoma and South Carolina. 

This species is hardy from USDA Zones 5-9.

PLANT DESCRIPTION:  Rudbeckia maxima is a bold clump forming perennial wildflower.

Plants form basal rosettes of attractive waxy blue-green foliage.  The blades are similar to those of a cabbage or collard.  Leaves average 18” long and are entire and oval with long slender petioles. 

In late spring, flower stems rise from the foliage rosettes to 6’ or more.  The stems are terminated in 2-3” daisy-like heads.  The drooping ray florets are a lovely clear yellow.  They surround a large elongated chocolate brown cone.

The dark brown seedheads persist often into the early winter.

Plants are 6-8’ tall and 3’ across.  They spread from rhizomes to form colonies.  

CULTURAL & MAINTENANCE NEEDSRudbeckia maxima prefers full to partly sunny sites with moist fertile soils.   

This handsome coneflower is heat tolerant and not particular about soil type.  Plants thrive in sandy, clay or organic soils.  This species can even tolerate flooded soils for short times or drought after establishment.

Plants are pest resistant and foliage is unpalatable to deer and other herbivores.

This species spreads slowly by rhizomes.  Flower stalks can be cut to the ground after blooming to tidy the garden and stimulate longer flowering.  Ideally, however, the stalks should be left to provide seed for the goldfinches. 

LANDSCAPE USES:  Rudbeckia maxima is a dramatic Accent plant with Showy Blooms.  Plants are appropriate in Groupings or Mass Plantings for Wildlife Gardens or moist Meadows. This is a useful Butterfly Nectar Plant or Cut Flower that is appropriate for Cottage Gardens, Deer Resistant Plantings, Low Maintenance Plantings, Perennial Borders, Rain Gardens, Stormwater Management Projects and edges of Water Gardens.

COMPANION & UNDERSTUDY PLANTS:  Try pairing Rudbeckia maxima with Aster novae-angliae, Monarda fistulosa, Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red', Carex amphibola, Carex radiata, Panicum virgatum or Sorghastrum nutans.

Silphium perfoliatum is a possible substitute as it has comparable height, similar cultural requirements and also bears yellow composite flowers.

TRIVIA:  Flowers attract native bees and butterflies.  Seed are eaten by goldfinches and other small birds.

Rudbeckia maxima was discovered by English botanist and plant explorer Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859) in 1816 near the Red River in Oklahoma Territory.

The foliage is quite striking because of the steely blue color and waxy sheen.  This species is often called cabbage leaf coneflower because the unique leaves are shaped and colored like those of garden cabbage.

Plants can be quite tall – especially in moist fertile sites.  Since the majority of leaves are basal, however, the 7’ mostly leafless flower stalks allow the viewer to “see through”.


Height:

6-8 ft

Spread:

3-4 ft

Spacing:

4 ft

USDA Hardiness Zone:

5-9

Bloom Color:

Yellow

Rudbeckia maxima Characteristics

Attracts Wildlife

  • Songbirds
  • Pollinators
  • Butterflies

Attributes

  • Dried Flower
  • Cut Flower
  • Rain Garden
  • Clay Soil
  • Naturalizing
  • Drought Tolerant

Exposure

  • Full Sun

Deer Resistant

  • Deer Resistant

Flowering Months

  • August
  • July

Foliage Color

  • Green

Growth Rate

  • Medium

Juglans nigra Tolerance (Black Walnut)

  • Yes

Season of Interest (Foliage)

  • Summer
  • Spring

Soil Moisture Preference

  • Moist to Dry

Interesting Notes:

For more information on this plant, visit the USDA PLANTS Database: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RUMA3


Plants that work well with Rudbeckia maxima ''

New England aster New England aster (Aster novae-angliae)
Wild bergamot Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Beard tongue Beard tongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Creek sedge Creek sedge (Carex amphibola)
Eastern star sedge Eastern star sedge (Carex radiata)
Switch grass Switch grass (Panicum virgatum)
Culver root Culver root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

Substitutions for Rudbeckia maxima

Cup plant Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)