Rudbeckia californica
California cone-flower
(c) Cricket Raspet, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cricket Raspet · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Rudbeckia californica (California cone-flower) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family.
California cone-flower is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in meadows and seeps at elevations of 800 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 2 to 6 centimeters long with green-yellow disk flowers, forming large radiant flower heads. Growing 60 to 180 centimeters tall with stout unbranched stems, the plant emerges from a robust rhizome. Its leaves range from 10 to 60 centimeters long, with lanceolate to ovate blades that are entire, coarsely toothed, or pinnately lobed, and have a distinctly hairy undersurface. The flower heads feature 8 to 21 ray flowers that are often reflexed, creating a distinctive drooping appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key differentiator is presence of ray flowers vs discoid heads in R. occidentalis
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, seeps, mires
Elevation: 800-2600 m
Bloom period
Rudbeckia californica blooms Jul-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Encelia: Rudbeckia has a tall dark cone center; Encelia has tiny or absent ray petals and flat centers.; vs Helianthus: Rudbeckia has a tall dark cone-shaped center; Helianthus has a flat or gently rounded yellow center.; vs Helenium: Rudbeckia has a cone that starts flat-topped; Helenium has a round ball-shaped center from the start.; vs Ratibida: Rudbeckia fruits are smooth-edged; Ratibida fruits have hairy fringed edges.; vs Gazania: Rudbeckia has a tall cone center; Gazania has a flat center with distinctive dark markings at petal bases.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rudbeckia californica native to California?
Yes. Rudbeckia californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Rudbeckia californica bloom?
Rudbeckia californica blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Rudbeckia californica belong to?
Rudbeckia californica is in the Asteraceae family, genus Rudbeckia.
What habitat does Rudbeckia californica grow in?
Rudbeckia californica grows in Meadows, seeps, mires.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.