{"product_id":"giant-coneflower","title":"Giant Coneflower","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"pd-title-head\"\u003e\n  \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eRudbeckia maxima\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOverview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Specimen and accent planting in sunny borders, back-of-border structure, prairie and meadow plantings, pollinator and wildlife gardens, cutting gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenefits:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grown as much for its foliage as its flower. Broad blue-green paddle leaves form a bold basal rosette in spring, then nearly bare stems shoot five to seven feet up and hold golden petals around tall, dark central cones. The seed heads stand well into winter and feed goldfinches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4–9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full Sun\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLife Cycle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hardy Perennial\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Upright, Clumping — tall bare stems above a broad basal rosette\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Golden Yellow\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Blue-Green\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Height:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5–7 ft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Width:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2–3 ft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Early to midsummer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSummary\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the coneflower that stops people mid-path and makes them ask what it is. Nothing else in a summer border looks quite like it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe plant begins as a rosette of broad, smooth, blue-green leaves close to the ground — more like a hosta or a cabbage than a rudbeckia, and worth growing for the foliage alone. In early summer, nearly leafless stems rise five to seven feet out of that rosette, each topped by a flower with a dark central cone two to three inches tall and a skirt of drooping golden petals below it. Because the stems are bare, the flowers appear to float.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt reads as vertical punctuation rather than mass. The footprint at ground level stays around two to three feet, so it can go closer to the front of a border than its height suggests, with shorter plants visible straight through the stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe cones hold their shape after the petals drop and stand through winter. Goldfinches work them steadily in late summer and fall, often clinging sideways to the stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGiant Coneflower Care\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in full sun. In shade the stems lean badly and the blue cast in the foliage washes out to ordinary green.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAverage garden soil suits it. It tolerates clay better than most prairie perennials and handles both periodic wet feet and summer dryness once established, but it will not take permanently waterlogged ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater through the first season while the taproot develops. After that, water during extended drought only.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt rarely needs feeding, and rich soil produces taller, weaker stems. If growth is genuinely poor, one light spring application of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/slow-release-fertilizer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eslow release fertilizer\u003c\/a\u003e is enough.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGive it an open spot where the stems have room — in a windy site or rich soil it can lean, and a single unobtrusive stake solves it. Deadhead if you want to limit self-sowing, or leave the cones standing for winter interest and birds and cut the whole plant back in early spring. It resents disturbance, so divide only when necessary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSize\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat Size is the Giant Coneflower for Sale Online?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur Giant Coneflower ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/pages\/contact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Contact Almanac Planting Co\"\u003econtact us\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow Large Does Giant Coneflower Grow?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGiant Coneflower reaches five to seven feet tall in bloom, though the foliage rosette itself stays around two feet. The clump spreads two to three feet wide. Expect a smaller plant the first year while the taproot establishes, with full height from the second season onward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAdditional Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are some common names for this plant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe most widely used names, in rough order of familiarity, are:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGiant coneflower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreat coneflower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLarge coneflower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCabbage-leaf coneflower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this the same as the purple coneflower people usually mean?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNo, and the name causes real confusion. Purple coneflower is \u003cem\u003eEchinacea\u003c\/em\u003e — a three-foot plant with pink-purple petals. This is \u003cem\u003eRudbeckia\u003c\/em\u003e, closer kin to black-eyed Susan, with yellow petals, a much taller cone, and blue-green cabbage-like basal leaves. If you were expecting a purple daisy, this is a different plant entirely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it native?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYes. \u003cem\u003eRudbeckia maxima\u003c\/em\u003e is a straight species native to North America, centered on the moist prairies and open ground of the south-central United States — Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and east Texas. It grows well far outside that range and is fully hardy to Zone 4. See our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/native-plants\"\u003eNative Plants of North America\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it need staking?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUsually not. In full sun and average soil the stems are surprisingly strong for their height. Staking becomes more likely in rich soil, in part shade, or in an exposed windy site. Avoid fertilizing and give it real sun and it will generally hold itself up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill deer eat it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRarely. The foliage has a waxy coating and coarse texture that deer tend to pass over, and it is one of the more dependable tall perennials in areas with browsing pressure. No plant is fully deer-proof under real hunger. Browse our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/deer-resistant-perennials-grasses\"\u003edeer-resistant perennials and grasses\u003c\/a\u003e for more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Almanac Planting Co","offers":[{"title":"2 Gallon \/ Fall '26 Pre-Order","offer_id":47507181535394,"sku":"PN-GCONE-2-1yr","price":44.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0586\/9374\/6850\/files\/GiantConeflower2.jpg?v=1786370841","url":"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/giant-coneflower","provider":"Almanac Planting Co","version":"1.0","type":"link"}