Texas Coneflower
Rudbeckia texana
A stunning Texas native perennial, the Texas coneflower shares its vibrant flowers by blooming twice yearly, first from late April through May, and again from September through late November. Texas coneflowers’ yellow ray flowers and tall brown seed cones add color, enhancing the visual appeal of the landscape. This stately plant grows up to five feet tall and will spread one to two feet at the base. The Texas coneflower can be found in nature growing only in the coastal prairies of southeast Texas and Louisiana.
Easy to grow and very hardy, this plant thrives best in full sun and well-drained, moist soil. Plant Texas coneflower seeds in early spring or in fall. Transplanting is best completed in early spring to provide the plant time to establish a strong root system before the intense heat of summer begins. While the plant is becoming established, it requires regular, frequent watering. As the plant matures, it needs deep, infrequent watering, especially during dry periods. At maturity, the Texas coneflower is drought tolerant. When planted from seed, the plant will bloom during the first year. Following the first bloom cycle, it is important to “deadhead” the plant by removing the spent flowers. This process will encourage more blooms to form during the second bloom cycle in the fall. Texas coneflowers are generally pest resistant.
Wildlife benefits from the Texas coneflower, as the flowers provide nectar for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators in addition to seeds for small birds. Notably, this plant is the larval host for the silvery checkerspot butterfly and the wavy-lined emerald moth. Additionally, the wavy-lined emerald moth caterpillar often camouflages itself on flowers by using some of the plant material to attach to its body.
Sources for seeds of the Texas coneflower can be found through online research and by visiting local nurseries specializing in native plants. Check the schedules of the Texas Native Plant Society chapters, Master Gardeners, arboretums, nature centers and other local non-profit organizations which focus on nature and the environment to find a local plant sale with this native plant. Once established, the Texas coneflower will support bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds in your home landscape. Plant native today with the beautiful perennial Texas coneflower!
