Giant coneflowers stand tall…very tall

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My giant coneflowers, Rudbeckia maxima, have been blooming for the past several weeks, and they are show-stoppers. More closely related to black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) than traditional coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea), giant coneflowers stand tall in the garden. Mine, in fact, are over seven feet tall.

Eye-Catching

“What are those flowers?” visitors often ask. Rudbeckia maxima demands attention. Coneflowers with yellow petals sit atop thick, straight stems adorned with large, silvery-blue, ovate leaves. Because of their height, many people use them at back of plantings, but I use mine as a centerpiece. Planted beside my miniature pond, they are roughly centered in my front yard. When blooming, they draw the eye from anywhere they are visible. Standing close to them, I love looking up at the flowers, bright yellow against the brilliant blue sky.

Rudbeckia maxima, also called giant coneflower or large coneflower

Natives with a Wide Range

Giant coneflowers are native to North America, and they can be planted in zones 4 to 9. They are tolerant of many soils, including sand and, sometimes, clay. In the wild, they are found in moist prairie areas, wet ditches, pastures, and fields. I’ve had success planting them in poor, sandy soil as well as rich, well-drained garden soil, both locations in full sun. I did have to water the ones planted in sandy soil quite often, though once established, they can tolerate some drought. Without irrigation, I’ve had them shrivel in the heat of August until I thought they had died, but they’ve always bounced back once the rains returned in fall. I believe they’d do well in well-drained rain gardens as long as they were in full sun.

Beneficial to Birds

I occasionally see bees and butterflies on my giant coneflowers. They don’t seem to be a big draw for pollinators, at least not when other preferred plants are blooming at the same time in close proximity. I do see skippers and pearl crescent butterflies on them sometimes. They are not bothered by deer or my rabbits. However, in fall, they bring the birds. Goldfinches, chickadees, titmice, and other seed-eating birds will land on the cones to pick the seeds. I love looking up at the goldfinches, bright yellow against the brilliant blue sky, atop my giant coneflowers, standing tall.

Meet Leslie Miller

Leslie Ann Miller shares 3.5 acres in rural Oklahoma with birds, butterflies and wide variety of animals. She is currently transforming her yard with plantings…

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