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Native Plant Society of Texas

Clasping Coneflower

Rudbeckia amplexicaulis

Other common name(s):

Clasping-leaf Coneflower

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Central Great Plains, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

2
to
3
ft.

Spread

1
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Annual

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Calcareous, Well Drained, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

High

Native Habitat

Grassland, Wetland or Riparian

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Bees

Maintenance

Easy to grow and adaptable to many conditions. Don’t’ allow soil to completely dry out, but provide good drainage. Used in meadow and roadside plantings. Native habitat: ditches, ravines, and depressions, Mulching helps to retain needed moisture. Nice for cut flower arrangements. Generally disease free, but may be susceptible to slugs. Not common in plant nurseries but seeds are available commercially. Propagation: seed.

Comments

Blooms: April-July. This is a smooth-stemmed coneflower with oblong, heart-shaped leaves, clasping the stem at the base. Flower heads are terminal and solitary. The yellow petals, with reddish-purple bases, droop away from the dark, cone-shaped center. This species’ clasping leaves differentiate it from Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera).
Previous Scientific Name(s): Dracopis amplexicaulis

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Direct sow in late fall, pressing into the surface of the soil since this plant needs light to germinate. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination, which usually takes 2-3 weeks. The Rudbeckia Amplexicaulis seeds can also be started indoors 6-8 weeks before planting in spring. Keep seedlings lightly moist, and transplant them as soon as they have developed several leaves. After the flower petals fall from the head, the center cone will begin to develop seed. Remove the seed heads as soon as the stem beneath the cone begins to turn dry and brown. Spread the seed heads out to dry away from direct sunlight, then separate the small seeds from the stems by rubbing them lightly. Store the cleaned clasping coneflower seed in a dry, cool place. 1) https://www.everwilde.com/store/Rudbeckia-amplexicaulis-WildFlower-Seed.html 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=dram 3) https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/rudbeckia/#:~:text=Rudbeckia%20can%20be%20propagated%20by,months%20at%2040%C2%B0F. 4) https://www.outsidepride.com/resources/planting/rudbeckia-planting/#:~:text=How%20to%20Plant%20Rudbeckia%20*%20Prepare%20the,surface%20and%20press%20them%20into%20the%20soil.
Clump division Division Rudbeckia can be divided every 3–4 years in early spring or fall to prevent overcrowding. For more specific information on how to divide Rudbeckia, see fact sheet HGIC 1150, Dividing Perennials. https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/rudbeckia/#:~:text=Rudbeckia%20can%20be%20propagated%20by,months%20at%2040%C2%B0F.

Clasping Coneflower

Rudbeckia amplexicaulis

Other names:

Clasping-leaf Coneflower

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Characteristics
Growth Form:
Herbaceous
Height:
2
to
3
ft.
Spread:
1
to
2
ft.
Leaf Retention:
Deciduous
Lifespan:
Annual
Soil:
Sand, Loam, Clay, Calcareous, Well Drained, Moist
Light:
Sun, Part Shade
Water:
High
Native Habitat:
Grassland, Wetland or Riparian
Photo Credit; Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=11134
Photo Credit: Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=15840
Central Great Plains, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands
Color:
Yellow
Season:
Spring, Summer
Seasonal Interest:
Nectar, Pollen
Wildlife Benefit:
Butterflies, Bees
Easy to grow and adaptable to many conditions. Don’t’ allow soil to completely dry out, but provide good drainage. Used in meadow and roadside plantings. Native habitat: ditches, ravines, and depressions, Mulching helps to retain needed moisture. Nice for cut flower arrangements. Generally disease free, but may be susceptible to slugs. Not common in plant nurseries but seeds are available commercially. Propagation: seed.
Blooms: April-July. This is a smooth-stemmed coneflower with oblong, heart-shaped leaves, clasping the stem at the base. Flower heads are terminal and solitary. The yellow petals, with reddish-purple bases, droop away from the dark, cone-shaped center. This species’ clasping leaves differentiate it from Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera).

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Direct sow in late fall, pressing into the surface of the soil since this plant needs light to germinate. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination, which usually takes 2-3 weeks. The Rudbeckia Amplexicaulis seeds can also be started indoors 6-8 weeks before planting in spring. Keep seedlings lightly moist, and transplant them as soon as they have developed several leaves. After the flower petals fall from the head, the center cone will begin to develop seed. Remove the seed heads as soon as the stem beneath the cone begins to turn dry and brown. Spread the seed heads out to dry away from direct sunlight, then separate the small seeds from the stems by rubbing them lightly. Store the cleaned clasping coneflower seed in a dry, cool place. 1) https://www.everwilde.com/store/Rudbeckia-amplexicaulis-WildFlower-Seed.html 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=dram 3) https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/rudbeckia/#:~:text=Rudbeckia%20can%20be%20propagated%20by,months%20at%2040%C2%B0F. 4) https://www.outsidepride.com/resources/planting/rudbeckia-planting/#:~:text=How%20to%20Plant%20Rudbeckia%20*%20Prepare%20the,surface%20and%20press%20them%20into%20the%20soil.
Clump division Division Rudbeckia can be divided every 3–4 years in early spring or fall to prevent overcrowding. For more specific information on how to divide Rudbeckia, see fact sheet HGIC 1150, Dividing Perennials. https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/rudbeckia/#:~:text=Rudbeckia%20can%20be%20propagated%20by,months%20at%2040%C2%B0F.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Dracopis amplexicaulis

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason