Rudbeckia amplexicaulis Vahl

Scientific Name: Rudbeckia amplexicaulis Vahl


Classification: Plantae/ Tracheobionta / Spermatophyta / Magnoliophyta / Magnoliopsida / Asteridae / Asterales / Asteraceae / Compositae / Dracopis Cass./ Rudbeckia amplexicaulis Vahl

<i>Rudbeckia amplexicaulis</i> Vahl
General Information
Usda SymbolRUAM7
GroupDicot
Life CycleAnnual
Growth HabitsForb/herb
Native LocationsRUAM7

Plant Guide

Description

General: Clasping coneflower is a native, warm season, annual forb in the Asteraceae family (Missouri Botanical Garden, 2019). Clasping coneflower grows 12 to 28 inches (30 to 71 cm) tall. It arises from a solitary stem which branches out about half way up the plant (Fig.1). The alternately arranged, oblong, glaucous leaves are 1.75 to 4 inches (4 to 10 cm) long. The leaves, at their base, wrap around the stems (Fig.1). This distinctive leaf characteristic is the origin of the species name derived from two Latin words; amplexus meaning ‘encircling’ and caulis meaning ‘stem’. Clasping coneflower blooms in late spring and early summer. The yellow ray flowers or “petals” are similar in appearance to black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and droop as the flowers mature. The flowerhead is up to two inches in diameter with a black center cone 0.5 to 1.25 inches (1 to 3 cm) high. (Ajilvsgi, 2003). The seeds are small, approximately 5/64” long (2 mm), elliptical in shape, with a wrinkled appearance (USDA NRCS, 2019) (Fig.2). Distribution: Clasping coneflower is the only member of the Dracopis genus in North America (Diggs et al., 1999). It is found in the southeastern United States from Georgia to Texas and north into Missouri and Kansas (Missouri Botanical Garden, 2019). For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site. Habitat: Clasping coneflower occurs in prairies, swales and flood plains and is found along roadsides and streams (Ajilvsi, 2003; Missouri Botanical Garden, 2019).

Adaptation

Clasping coneflower prefers sites with full sun and moist soils but not poorly drained soils (Missouri Botanical Garden, 2019). This forb tolerates various soil types including acid or calcareous based sandy or clay loams (Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, 2019).

Uses

Clasping coneflower is an attractive plant for native gardening and wildflower meadows because of low maintenance requirements, showy flowers, and abundant self-seeding (Missouri Botanical Garden, 2019; Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Guide Figure 2. Clasping coneflower seeds. Photo: Steve Hurst, ARS, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database. Figure 1. Clasping coneflower in bloom. Photo: East Texas Plant Materials Center, Nacogdoches, TX 2 Center, 2019). Foraging honeybees (Apis sp.) use the Asteraceae plant family for pollen and nectar sources (Jones and Bryant, 2014). Native bees and butterflies used clasping coneflower as a nectar source (Adamson et al., 2015).

Ethnobotany

Cherokee Native Americans used clasping coneflower juice for earaches and leaves to make a tonic and diuretic tea (Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, 2013).

Status

Threatened or Endangered: Clasping coneflower is not listed as threatened or endangered (US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2019). Wetland Indicator: Wetland Indicator by region: (USDA NRCS, 2019) Region Indicator Region Indicator Great Plains FAC1/ Midwest FACU2/ Eastern Mountains and Piedmont FAC Northcentral and Northeast FACU Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains FAC Arid West FACW3/ Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast FAC 1/=Facultative -occurs in both wetlands and non-wetlands, 2/=Facultative upland-usually occurs in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands, 3/= usually occur in wetlands, but may occur in non-wetlands. Weedy or Invasive: This plant may become weedy or invasive in some regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed. Please consult with your local NRCS Field Office, Cooperative Extension Service office, state natural resource, or state agriculture department regarding its status and use. Please consult the PLANTS Web site (http://plants.usda.gov/) and your state’s Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g., threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Planting Guidelines

Broadcast seeding is the preferred method for planting clasping coneflower. Prepare a weed free seedbed using light tillage, herbicide applications, or close mowing. Lightly disk or harrow to loosen the soil surface then roll or cultipack prior to seeding. Broadcast seed at a rate of 4 to 5 lb pure live seed (PLS)/acre in mid to late August or September (Grabowski, 2001). Seed should be placed close to the soil surface then rolled or cultipacked after seeding.

Management

Clip or mow spent flowers to control self-seeding and/or encourage additional blooming (Missouri Botanical Garden, 2019). Clasping coneflower is a prolific reseeder, but eventually declines without soil disturbance. Disk the site every two to three years to control perennial weeds and promote clasping coneflower germination (Burgess et al., 2010).

Pests and Potential Problems

Clasping coneflower is suspectible to powdery mildew (Erysiphe sp.) (Nieland and Finley, 2009) and may form colonies and shade out accompanying vegetation (Ajilvsgi, 2003).

Environmental Concerns

Concerns

Concerns

Clasping coneflower is considered a desirable plant within its native range and has no known effects on the environment.

Control

Clasping coneflower may be controlled by mechanical means such as mowing or applying a broad-spectrum herbicide. Please contact your local agricultural extension specialist or county weed specialist to learn what works best in your area and how to use it safely. Always read label and safety instructions for each control method. Control measures appear in this document only to provide specific information.

Seed and Plant Production

Plant Production

Plant Production

Prepare a weed free seedbed using tillage and/or herbicide application. Prior to planting, the seedbed must be firmed and accumulated moisture for improved establishment success. Broadcast seed at a rate of 4 PLS/acre during August or September (Grabowski, 2001). Mix the seed with a carrier agent such as cat litter or coarse sand to improve seed distribution and help prevent planting at too high a rate. After seeding, cultipack or roll the planting site to ensure good seed-to-soil contact. Clasping coneflower seedlings emerge in fall and over winter as small plants and begin rapid growth the following spring (Grabowski, 2001). In spring, apply 15 to 30 lb/ac. of nitrogen to aid plant growth and seed production.

http://plants.usda.gov/ 3 Clasping coneflower seed ripens indeterminately in mid-summer. If the seed is harvested too soon, it will be held tightly in the seed head and not release during harvest. Hammermill the harvested material to break up the seed heads and separate the seeds for further cleaning. For optimum yields, harvest seed soon after the seed heads become brown and woolly in appearance but before shattering (Fig.3). Use a combine equipped with a slow speed fan to harvest the stand, then air dry and scalp the harvested material to expedite cleaning. Clean the harvested material with a seed cleaner equipped with air adjustments and separation screens to remove chaff and unfilled seed. Suggested cleaner screen settings are 1/16 round and 1/18 round for top screens and 6 x 36 wire mesh screen for the bottom screen to remove fine material. Cleaned seed yields for clasping coneflower range from 80 to 120 lb/acre (Grabowski, 2005). Seed purity varied from 69% to 98% and germination from 14% to 83% for harvests at the USDA NRCS Jamie L. Whitten Plant Materials Center (Grabowski, 2001). There are approximately 950,000 seeds per pound. The seeds appear to have no dormancy and remain viable up to five years under controlled storage conditions of 550F and 45% relative humidity (Grabowski, 2001). Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) Clasping coneflower seed is commercially available. Purchase seed based on local climate, resistance to local pests, and intended use. Consult with your local land grant university, local extension or local USDA NRCS office for recommendations for your area.

Literature Cited

Adamson, N,, B, Borders, J, Cruz, S, Jordan, K, Gill, J, Hopwood, E, Lee-Mader, and M, Vaughan, 2015, Pollinator plants southeast region, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, OR, Ajilvsgi, G, 2003, Wildflowers of Texas, Shearer Publishing, Fredericksburg, TX, Burgess, L,, T, Moss, J, Pomerlee, and J, Allison, 2010, Fact sheet-guidelines for fall wildflower planting, Jamie L, Whitten Plant Materials Center, Coffeeville, MS, Diggs, G,M,, B,L, Lipscomb and R,J, O’Kennon, 1999, Shinner and Mahler’s illustrated flora of north central Texas, Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Ft, Worth, TX, Grabowski, J,M, 2001, Native plant network propagation protocol database: protocol information Dracopis amplexicaulis (Vahl,) Cass, Plants; Natural Resources Conservation Service – Coffeeville/Jamie L, Whitten Plant Materials Center, Coffeeville, Mississippi, In: Native Plant Network, Accessed online 12 March 2019 at: http://www,nativeplantnetwork,org Moscow (ID): University of Idaho, College of Natural Resources, Forest Research Nursery, Grabowski, J,M, 2005, Native wildflower seed production techniques in Mississippi, Native Plants Journal, Univ, Of Wisconsin Press, Vol, 6(1): pp, 72-75, Jones, G, and V, Bryant, 2014, Pollen studies of east Texas honey, Palynology, 38(2): 242-258, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 2019, Native Plant Database, Accessed online 3/12/2019: http://www,wildflower,org/plants/result,php?id_plant=DRAM , Missouri Botanical Garden, 2019, Plant Finder, Accessed online 12 March 2019 at: http://www,missouribotanicalgarden,org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails,aspx?kempercode=b277 Nieland, L, and W, Finley, 2009, Lone star wildflowers – a guide to Texas flowering plants, Texas Tech Univ, Press, Lubbock, TX, Figure 3, Mature coneflower seed heads are dark brown with a woolly or fuzzy appearance,

http://www,nativeplantnetwork,org/
http://www,wildflower,org/plants/result,php?id_plant=DRAM
http://www,missouribotanicalgarden,org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails,aspx?kempercode=b277 4 US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2019, Endangered species database, Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Rudbeckia amplexicaulis Vahl., Accessed online 12 March 2019 at: https://www,fws,gov/endangered/ US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA NRCS, 2019, Plant profile for Dracopis amplexicaulis, The PLANTS Database (http://plants,usda,gov, 12 March 2019), National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA, Citation Brakie, M, 2019, Plant Guide for clasping coneflower (Dracopis amplexicaulis), USDA-Natural Resources

Conservation

Service, East Texas Plant Materials Center. Nacogdoches, TX 75964. Published: June 2019 Edited: For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ and visit the PLANTS Web site at http://plants.usda.gov/ or the Plant Materials Program web site: http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov. PLANTS is not responsible for the content or availability of other Web sites. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Plant Traits

Growth Requirements

Temperature, Minimum (°F)32
Adapted to Coarse Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Fine Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Medium Textured SoilsYes
Anaerobic ToleranceLow
CaCO3 ToleranceMedium
Cold Stratification RequiredNo
Drought ToleranceHigh
Fertility RequirementLow
Fire ToleranceNone
Frost Free Days, Minimum120
Hedge ToleranceLow
Moisture UseHigh
pH, Maximum7.5
pH, Minimum6.0
Precipitation, Maximum60
Precipitation, Minimum10
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)6
Salinity ToleranceNone
Shade ToleranceIntolerant


Morphology/Physiology

BloatNone
ToxicityNone
Resprout AbilityNo
Shape and OrientationErect
Active Growth PeriodSpring and Summer
C:N RatioMedium
Coppice PotentialNo
Fall ConspicuousNo
Fire ResistantNo
Flower ColorYellow
Flower ConspicuousYes
Foliage ColorGreen
Foliage Porosity SummerPorous
Foliage Porosity WinterPorous
Fruit/Seed ColorBlack
Fruit/Seed ConspicuousYes
Growth FormSingle Stem
Growth RateRapid
Height, Mature (feet)2.0
Known AllelopathNo
Leaf RetentionNo
Low Growing GrassNo
Nitrogen FixationNone
Foliage TextureMedium


Reproduction

Propagated by SeedYes
Propagated by SodNo
Propagated by SprigsNo
Propagated by TubersNo
Fruit/Seed PersistenceNo
Seed per Pound1600000
Seed Spread RateRapid
Seedling VigorHigh
Small GrainNo
Vegetative Spread RateNone
Propagated by CormNo
Propagated by ContainerNo
Propagated by BulbNo
Propagated by Bare RootNo
Fruit/Seed Period EndFall
Fruit/Seed Period BeginSummer
Fruit/Seed AbundanceHigh
Commercial AvailabilityRoutinely Available
Bloom PeriodLate Summer
Propagated by CuttingsNo


Suitability/Use

Veneer ProductNo
Pulpwood ProductNo
Protein PotentialMedium
Post ProductNo
Palatable HumanNo
Palatable Graze AnimalLow
Palatable Browse AnimalLow
Nursery Stock ProductNo
Naval Store ProductNo
Lumber ProductNo
Fodder ProductNo
Christmas Tree ProductNo
Berry/Nut/Seed ProductNo

<i>Rudbeckia amplexicaulis</i> Vahl

<i>Rudbeckia amplexicaulis</i> Vahl