Flower profile

Cutleaf coneflower

Rudbeckia laciniata

Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) is a low shrub in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–September across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Cutleaf coneflower is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 13 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–September.

45states where USDA records it

13Bloomipedia state lists include it

30,429U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin

Quick look

Rudbeckia laciniata, the cutleaf coneflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Other common names include cutleaf, goldenglow, green-headed coneflower, tall coneflower, sochan and thimbleweed. It is native to North American floodplains, stream banks, and moist forests. Although toxic to animals, the leaves have culinary uses.
From Wikipedia's article Rudbeckia laciniata, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Asteraceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 45 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. ^iNaturalist
In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in August–September. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late summer. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 8.2 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 3,649 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #35 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,332 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #81 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,276 research-grade sightings of it in Pennsylvania, ranking #95 among the 190 flowers on our Pennsylvania list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,478 records)

Bloom time in the 13 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
North Carolina	Native	July–September	3,649
Illinois	Native	August–September	2,332
Pennsylvania	Native	July–September	2,276
Ohio	Native	August–September	2,208
Minnesota	Native	August–September	2,197
Virginia	Native	July–September	1,876
Wisconsin	Native	July–September	1,613
Maryland	Native	August–September	1,273
Indiana	Native	July–September	1,110
New Mexico	Native	July–August	965
Iowa	Native	August–September	489
South Dakota	Native	few records (9)	178
North Dakota	Native	few records (11)	59

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)

Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}

NatureServe global

G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe

State rare plant lists

Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 10 of our 13 states.

See each state

North Carolina: Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. ^{02 NCAC 48F .0301}
Illinois: Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. ^{IL E&T checklist 2025}
Pennsylvania: Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: S5, secure in Pennsylvania. ^{17 Pa. Code Ch. 45}
Ohio: Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. ^{OAC 1501:18-1-03}
Minnesota: Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. ^{Minn. R. 6134.0300}
Virginia: Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. ^2VAC5-320-10
Wisconsin: Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. ^{NR 27.03}
Maryland: Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. ^{COMAR 08.03.08}
New Mexico: Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. ^{19.21.2.9 NMAC}
Iowa: Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Iowa. ^{IAC 571-77.3}

Indiana

No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Indiana.

South Dakota

No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Dakota.

North Dakota

No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.

Rare elsewhere

Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: UT (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records cutleaf coneflower in 45 states plus Washington, D.C.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Cleveland, Craven, Currituck, Davidson, Duplin, Durham, Forsyth, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Granville, Guilford, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Moore, Onslow, Orange, Person, Polk, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Watauga, Wilkes, Wilson, Yadkin, Yancey.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago, Woodford.

Pennsylvania counties with USDA records: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming, York.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Cutleaf coneflower a low shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.5 to 7.0 and winter lows down to -38 °F.

Shade tolerance: Low
Drought tolerance: High
Moisture use: Low
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 4.5 to 7.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: -38 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 100
Annual precipitation range: 15 to 55 inches
Minimum root depth: 12 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Rapid
Lifespan: Short
Active growth period: Spring
Fruit or seed: Brown · Fall to Fall
Can be propagated by: container, seed
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for RULA3. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1162 counties across 40 states; the most are in Missouri (97), Virginia (85), Illinois (80).

Other Rudbeckia on Bloomipedia (4): Black-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed susan, Clasping coneflower, Western coneflower.

More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Bull thistle, Common dandelion, Firewheel.

More North Carolina flowers

Dogfennel

Eupatorium capillifolium

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in NC

Yellow crownbeard

Verbesina occidentalis

Native

🌼 Blooms in NC: September–October

Firewheel

Gaillardia pulchella

★ OK state wildflowerNative

🌼 Blooms in NC: May–August

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile RULA3.
iNaturalist, Rudbeckia laciniata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Rudbeckia laciniata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
State rare and invasive plant lists (23):
Show all 23 state lists
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- Illinois: Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist.
- Illinois: Illinois Official List of Exotic Weeds (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1100.30, Illinois Exotic Weed Act).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List (3 Pa.C.S. § 1519, PA Dept. of Agriculture) (PDA's page spells garlic mustard “Allaria petiolata”; we match it as Alliaria petiolata).
- Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
- Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
- Minnesota: Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300).
- Minnesota: Minnesota Noxious Weed List (Minn. Stat. § 18.79; Minnesota Department of Agriculture, updated January 2026).
- Virginia: Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10).
- Virginia: Virginia noxious weeds (2VAC5-317-20, Tier 1, 2 and 3).
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03).
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin invasive species rule (Wis. Admin. Code NR 40.04 prohibited, NR 40.05 restricted).
- Maryland: Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08).
- Maryland: Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List (COMAR 15.06.04.06; MDA, updated July 2026).
- Indiana: Indiana prohibited invasive terrestrial plants (312 IAC 18-3-25).
- New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
- New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
- Iowa: Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3).
- Iowa: Iowa noxious weeds (Iowa Code § 317.1A).
- South Dakota: South Dakota statewide noxious weeds (ARSD 12:62:03:01.06).
- North Dakota: North Dakota state noxious weeds (N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02), as listed by the ND Department of Agriculture.
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Rudbeckia laciniata (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Kailey Alderfer via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.