EcoBlog
The latest thinking on ecological landscapes. Useful tips to improve our environment
Your Favorite Native Plants: Cutleaf Coneflower
Autumn Thomas had the final winning entry to the EcoBeneficial t-shirt contest:
“I’m going to go with Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) even though it’s a tad aggressive, I see hundreds of bees, beetles and lepidoptera (butterflies, skippers and moths) on it every year. Then, after it goes to seed flocks of goldfinches arrive!”
Wondering if Cutleaf Coneflower would be a good fit in your landscape? Take a look:
Zones: 3 to 9
Native range: Quebec to Montana, south to Florida and Arizona
Member of the Aster family (Asteraceae).
Prefers moist, slightly acidic, fertile soil in full sun to part sun (needs moister soil in full sun).
Mature plant size: 3 to 6 feet high x 3 to 4 feet wide.
Spreads by underground stems, and can be “frisky” in the garden – give it space!
It’s a great native alternative to the exotic invasive Yellow Flag Iris (Iris Pseudacorus).
Flower heads are 2 ½” to 3” across and attract many pollinating insects including: long-tongued and short-tongued bees ( including honey bees), predatory wasps, butterflies, skippers, moths, some beetles and flies.
Cutleaf Coneflower is a host plant for caterpillars of the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly and several moths.
Leave the stems and dried flower heads standing through winter to provide seeds for Goldfinches and overwintering sites for insect egg cases (Praying Mantids included!).
Plant Native! from Kim Eierman at EcoBeneficial!
Photo: Rudbeckia lacianata (Cutleaf Coneflower)
Photo credit: Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oohangousou.JPG
More from EcoBlog
Spotlight on Great Native Plants: Vernal Witch-hazel
Vernal Witch-hazel aka Spring Witch-hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) is one of our earliest blooming native shrubs, flowering as early as January, but often in February or March. Its orange, red or yellow flowers can appear while snow is still on the ground, and hug tightly onto the leafless branches. The spicy,…
Grow Your Own Bird Seed: Native Grasses for Wild Birds
Many of our wild birds are seed eaters and will appreciate a backyard buffet planted with beautiful native grasses. The planting you do this spring will pay off next fall and winter when those birds are looking for scarce food resources. Our native grasses are not only attractive, but they are…
Native Bees: The Forgotten 4,000
We all know the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) because of its amazing ability to produce that golden liquid, honey. But, did you realize that there are more than 4,000 species of bees which are native to the United States? Native bees vary tremendously in size, color, habitat, nest types,…