Description
Wild Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata), also known as Cutleaf Coneflower or Green-headed Coneflower, is a tall native wildflower named for its bright yellow blooms that seem to “glow” in the landscape, especially when planted in groups. Its drooping yellow petals surround a greenish center, blooming from mid to late summer and attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators while adding bold height.
One of the few natives to reach this height in woodland or semi-shaded settings, it brings late-season color where spring blooms have faded. It grows best in part shade to full sun and prefers moist soils, though it can handle full sun with consistent moisture.
Wild Golden Glow spreads by rhizomes and can form large colonies, making it well-suited for rain gardens, wet meadows, and naturalized areas, though it may be too aggressive for smaller plantings. Compared to other Rudbeckias, it is much taller and more moisture-tolerant than Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), which prefers drier soils and stays shorter. It has a looser, more natural habit than Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida), grows larger than the shorter-lived, finer-textured Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba), and while Sweet Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia subtomentosa) is similar in height, it remains more clump-forming and less aggressive.
Historically, it is also known as “Sochan,” with young spring leaves traditionally used as food by the Cherokee.
