Rudbeckia pinnata

Rudbeckia pinnata, commonly called the Grey-headed Coneflower , Yellow Coneflower or Prairie Coneflower, is a very common prairie plant. Its flowers consist of drooping yellow flower petals surrounding a center cone which is light colored often with a dark ring near the bottom as the flower matures. The flower grows on a long stalk at the top of the plant. Rudbeckia pinnata is a perennial plant and can grow up to 5 feet tall. Its leaves are thin and deeply lobed with toothed edges. The leaves are a dull green and can be 2 to 7 inches long. The flower attracts both bees and butterflies, blooms from July through September and is native to the tallgrass prairie.