Rudbeckia laciniata, commonly known as the cutleaf coneflower, green-headed coneflower, or wild golden glow, is a massive, towering perennial wildflower native to North America.

Belonging to the Asteraceae family, it is easily recognized by its distinctive daisy-like bright yellow flowers featuring unique greenish-yellow, cone-shaped centers. True to its name (laciniata meaning "deeply cut"), its gray-green foliage is deeply lobed and pinnately dissected, making it stand out from other black-eyed Susans even before it blooms.

This plant is an absolute giant, routinely growing anywhere from 3 to 10' tall on smooth, branching stems.  It produces an abundance of 2-to-4-inch blossoms from July through October, offering excellent late-season color.

It is a rhizomatous plant that spreads vigorously via underground stems. While ideal for filling out large naturalized spaces, it can quickly overrun small garden beds unless controlled via regular division or deadheading.

It thrives in full sun to partial shade, and can even tolerate full shade and prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils (such as sand, loam, or clay). Because it naturally grows in floodplains and along stream banks, it loves moisture but can handle average garden conditions as long as it doesn't dry out completely.

The cheerful flowers draw in native bees and butterflies, while the ripening seed heads provide an invaluable fall and winter food source for songbirds like the American goldfinch.

The plant is naturally toxic to livestock and mostly ignored by deer and rabbits, making it excellent for low-pressure woodland borders

Known as Sochan by the Cherokee people, the young spring basal leaves have a rich history of being gathered and cooked as traditional spring greens.