Rudbeckia maxima
Discover the Beauty of this Tall Herbaceous Perennial
A native plant with many common names - large coneflower, cabbage-leaf coneflower, giant coneflower, great coneflower, swamp coneflower, giant brown-eyed susan.
Rudbeckia maxima is not your ordinary perennial. Its towering stature sets it apart, often reaching heights of up to 7 feet, creating an impressive focal point in any landscape. Native to parts of the southern United States, this plant commands attention with its towering presence. The central stem, adorned with large, paddle-shaped blue-green leaves, provides a dramatic backdrop for the main event – the magnificent golden yellow flowers with dark brown center cones.
Large, bright golden yellow flowers from summer through early fall.
Grow Rudbeckia maxima in full sun and average, moist, well-draining soil. This plant can tolerate light shade, heat, drought, and poor soils, but does best with organically rich soil and at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Rudbeckia maxima propagates itself through rhizomes and can also self-seed. This large coneflower is generally a resilient, low-maintenance plant with few pest or disease issues, however aphids and leaf spot can occasionally be a problem. This plant is generally left alone by deer, however, as all gardeners know - no plant is truly 100% deer resistant.
Does Rudbeckia maxima Attract Butterflies?
Rudbeckia maxima is native to the pastures, moist open areas, and roadside ditches of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas. It attracts a large number of native bees and makes a wonderful nectar plant for attracting butterflies to your garden. When flower stalks are left in place to dry on the plant in late fall and winter, they become a valuable winter food source for goldfinches and other birds.
Rudbeckia maxima and planting companions Speedwell (Veronica spicata), Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum), and Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium fistulosum).
Planting Companions for Rudbeckia maxima:
Rudbeckia maxima looks great as part of a stylized meadow planting, alongside pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), blazing star (Liatris spicata), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum).
For a garden that will attract loads of butterflies, plant Rudbeckia maxima alongside Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium fistulosum), swamp milkweed (Asclepius incarnata), mountain mint (Pycnathemum muticum), and Rainbow™ Butterfly Marcella coneflower (Echinacea Butterfly™ ‘Rainbow Marcella’).
Landscape Design Ideas for Rudbeckia maxima:
When using Rudbeckia maxima in the garden, keep in mind the large, mature size of this perennial - 5-7 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide. Give it space! Rudbeckia maxima looks great in a naturalized garden, or in a border that helps transition a sunny woodland’s edge to a more formally landscaped backyard lawn. Plant in the back of a border, in a wildflower meadow, or in a cottage garden where its tall size and paddle-shaped leaves can provide a pleasing contrast with other perennial and evergreen plants. Rudbeckia maxima flowers are long-lasting in a vase, making this a great addition to a cutting garden.
Rudbeckia maxima is a natural choice for any butterfly garden, pollinator garden, bird garden or wildlife garden. If you have the space, planting more than one plant in a grouping creates a visual impact that will draw the attention of butterflies, birds, and bees with large swaths of color.