Rudbeckia maxima

Rudbeckia maxima is a robust perennial herb native to the south-central United States. Large blue-green leaves form a basal clump, while very tall stems carry yellow flower heads with drooping ray florets around prominent gray-brown cones. The open structure gives insects easy access to the disk florets. The species grows naturally in moist prairies, ditches, and open ground and tolerates seasonal heat. Photographed in Florida.