Hello,

Let’s ignore the piles of snow and focus on a sunny summer flower: Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata). Cutleaf Coneflower is a stunning problem-solver for spaces that can benefit from its dramatic height—it routinely grows 6 to 10 feet tall, earning it a spot among the tallest native perennials.

From July into the fall, Cutleaf Coneflower sports bright yellow flowers with petals resembling Black-eyed Susans. Whereas Black-eyed Susans have dark brown seedheads, Cutleaf Coneflowers have light green ones—a distinction that sets this wildflower apart from the many other yellow-petaled specimens around (fun fact: another common name for this plant is Green-headed Coneflower). These blooms crown tall stems that are covered in deeply lobed, serrated leaves (thus, the cutleaf portion of the common name).

Where to Grow Cutleaf Coneflower

While Cutleaf Coneflower prefers part sun to shade, it can also thrive in full sun if the soil is moist. Because it adapts to most light conditions, this plant is a fantastic choice for semi-shaded areas and woodland edges. Do you have a shady, damp corner of the yard? You have a practically perfect habitat for this plant. It’s also gorgeous along the back of a border or against walls and fences.

If you want to take a hands-off approach to gardening with Cutleaf Coneflower, give it room to roam, because it spreads via rhizomes. If you’d rather control its spread, you can divide it when it becomes too robust, give the resulting plants away, or compost it. You can also control its height by cutting the stems back by half in June.

Ecosystem Benefits

When you invite Cutleaf Coneflower into your garden, you’re supporting future generations of Silvery Checkerspot Butterflies and Wavy-lined Emerald Moths, as it is the host plant for their caterpillars. You’ll also invite Goldfinches and other songbirds in the fall, especially if you leave the seedheads up. And, though deer might browse it, it may benefit from a bit of natural pruning.

Elsewhere:

Recently, the Short Wave podcast visited a microforest in Los Angeles, situated in a dead zone between freeways and interstates, to learn how a quarter-acre of native trees and shrubs can enhance the area’s biodiversity. Give it a listen!

Have a good week,

Julie