showy coneflower
Rudbeckia alpicola Piper
Showy coneflower takes the familiar coneflower outline in an unusual direction: its heads have no strap-shaped ray flowers. Instead, hundreds of tiny brown-purple disc flowers crowd a tall central column above a collar of green, leaflike bracts. The result is a dark, sculptural head rather than a yellow daisy. Flora of North America: Rudbeckia alpicola
Botanical name
Rudbeckia alpicola Piper is accepted as a species. Rudbeckia occidentalis var. alpicola (Piper) Cronquist is a synonym. University of Washington Burke Herbarium: Rudbeckia alpicola
Recognizing the plant
This perennial grows from stout rhizomes and can reach about 1.5 m. It does not usually form colonies. Basal leaves are large, stalked and divided into three to nine lobes, with blades sometimes reaching 70 cm long. Upper leaves are smaller and may have little or no stalk. Both surfaces bear hairs. Flower heads appear singly or in groups of up to ten; each column can reach roughly 8 cm long. Flora of North America: Rudbeckia alpicola
Bloom window
Wenatchee Mountains, Washington
The University of Washington’s Burke Herbarium lists June–August flowering in this regional range. University of Washington Burke Herbarium: Rudbeckia alpicola
Native range
The species is endemic to Washington’s Wenatchee Mountains, east of the Cascade crest. Flora of North America records it in Chelan and Kittitas counties, in thickets, bogs and streamside habitats at about 200–1,500 m. University of Washington Burke Herbarium: Rudbeckia alpicolaFlora of North America: Rudbeckia alpicola
Botanical sources
- University of Washington Burke Herbarium: Rudbeckia alpicola
- Flora of North America: Rudbeckia alpicola
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.