Grassleaf coneflower

Grassleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia graminifolia) by Julie Tew. Click on terms for botanical definitions. View post as a PDF.

Grassleaf coneflower is a Florida endemic wildflower found only in the Panhandle, near and in the Apalachicola National Forest. Its solitary blooms are distinctly different than most Florida Rudbeckia species in that they have short, brick-red ray florets and large conelike disk florets. Comparatively, it is a small bloom among Rudbeckias. Its leaves are small, narrow and grasslike (hence the common name).

Grassleaf coneflower typically flowers in summer and occurs naturally in wet savannas and along moist roadsides.

Family: Asteraceae (Aster, daisy or composite family)
Native range: Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Franklin, Liberty and Leon counties
To see where natural populations of Grassleaf coneflower have been vouchered, visit www.florida.plantatlas.usf.edu.
Lifespan: Short-lived perennial
Soil: Sand
Exposure: Full sun
Growth habit: 1–2’ tall

Grassleaf coneflower is not commercially available. Visit a natural area to see it.

Learn more about Grassleaf coneflower from the Florida Native Plant Society.

For information on other Rudbeckia species, see these resources:

Cutleaf coneflower

Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) is a summer-blooming wildflower that occurs naturally in mesic hammocks and meadows, on stream banks and in wet roadside ditches in North Florida.

Read more… Cutleaf coneflower

Softhair coneflower

Softhair coneflower (Rudbeckia mollis) is a robust plant with bright yellow blooms that provide spring and summer color to sandhills, dry open hammocks and roadsides in North and Central Florida.

Read more… Softhair coneflower

Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) typically blooms in spring through fall. It is pollinated by a variety of insects, and its seeds are eaten by seed-eating birds.

Read more… Black-eyed Susan