Orange Coneflower Plant Care

Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida) belongs to the Asteraceae family within the Rudbeckia genus. Orange Coneflower is native to Eastern United States. Orange Coneflower is also known as Black-eyed Susan, Centrocarpha chrysomela, Centrocarpha discolor.

Orange Coneflower displays an upright, clumping growth habit, reaching up to 2 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Orange Coneflower produces free-blooming yellow and red coneflower with a brown to black center..

Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Orange Coneflower every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Orange Coneflower thrives in full sun.

Rudbeckia fulgida tolerates temperatures of 65–85°F. Orange Coneflower prefers humidity levels of 40–60%.

Well-draining, loamy soil. Good drainage is essential for Orange Coneflower to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Orange Coneflower every 7 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun and well-draining, loamy soil. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Orange Coneflower is suited to USDA Zone 3a – 9b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Orange Coneflower can spread to about 1 ft (0.3 m) and reach about 2 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 1 ft (0.3 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Orange Coneflower while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Orange Coneflower is hardy down to USDA zone 3a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Orange Coneflower can be propagated through division, seed sowing. Similar propagation techniques also apply to cutleaf coneflower plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Orange Coneflower is susceptible to aphids, slugs, snails. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Orange Coneflower grows outdoors in USDA Zone 3a – 9b. It survives winters down to planting zone 3a. Orange Coneflower is native to Eastern United States.