Yellow Coneflower, also known as Gray-headed Coneflower, is a tall and elegant prairie staple that adds movement and grace to the late summer landscape. Reaching heights of 3 to 5 feet, it features slender, wiry stems topped with beautiful flowers consisting of drooping, bright yellow petals surrounding a gray, button-like central cone. When crushed, the cones emit a pleasant, anise-like scent. Native to the tallgrass prairies of the central United States, it is a hardy and adaptable perennial that can thrive in a variety of conditions. It is a magnet for pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, and its seeds are a favorite food source for goldfinches in the fall. Yellow Coneflower is exceptionally easy to grow from seed, thriving in full sun to partial shade and tolerating a wide range of soils from medium to medium-dry. Its deep taproot makes it very drought-tolerant once established. With its long bloom period and high wildlife value, it is an essential component of any prairie restoration or large-scale pollinator garden.

Quick facts

• Height: 3–5 ft
• Sun: Full to Partial
• Soil moisture: Medium to Medium-Dry
• Bloom time: Jul–Sep (Yellow)
• Life cycle: Perennial
• Native range: Native to 29 states, including Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska

See the full growing guide and county range map for Yellow Coneflower