Orange Coneflower

Rudbeckia fulgida

Pollinator Value

🐝 Specialist Bee Host: Andrena aliciae, Andrena peckhami, Andrena rudbeckiae, Pseudopanurgus andrenoides, Pseudopanurgus compositarum, Pseudopanurgus labrosiformis, Pseudopanurgus labrosus, Pseudopanurgus rudbeckiae, Pseudopanurgus rugosus, Pseudopanurgus solidaginis, Melissodes agilis, Melissodes boltoniae, Melissodes druriellus, Melissodes illatus, Melissodes subillatus, Melissodes trinodis, Svastra obliqua, Svastra petulca, Colletes americanus, Colletes compactus, Paranthidium jugatorium, Megachile inimica, Megachile parallela, Megachile pugnata, Megachile xylocopoides, Ashmeadiella bucconis
S17 26 Rudbeckia pollen specialists in Eastern NA

Proximity Score: 2
Native Status: ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ❌ ON
Closest Direction: SE
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.3 – Atlantic Highlands, 5.3.1 – Northern Appalachians and Atlantic Maritime Highlands
Rarity Notes: Globally secure (G5). Native range spans NJ to IN, south to FL and east TX. Introduced in Canada. Not listed under SARA. In Ontario and Quebec, this species is present primarily as garden escapes or introductions rather than native populations.
S22+S4+S26+S11
Rarity Ranks: QC SNA – Not Applicable, ON SNR – Not Ranked
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Rudbeckia fulgida inhabits moist rocky woodlands, savannas, woodland openings and edges, moist meadows, limestone glades, fens, hillside seeps, and swamps. Michigan Flora records it from calcareous springy banks, sedge meadows, and marly wet ground, often associated with seeps or springy sites. In Illinois it is an uncommon native typically found in high-quality natural habitats but will temporarily colonize open disturbed areas.
S10+S7+S4

Roles: Fortress/Barrier, Insectary Plant, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: spines? (supporting signal only)] | Insectary Plant: S72 Hemenway (tables: 7-1, pp. 112)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 33 bee associations (threshold=3)]
Notes: Valued as an insectary plant in permaculture guild design, attracting beneficial predatory insects and a wide diversity of pollinators during the mid- to late-summer bloom gap. Its rhizomatous habit and dense mounding form make it effective for weed suppression in the herbaceous layer.
S72+S10

Category: Anthelmintic, Dermatological Aid, Ear Medicine, Gynecological Aid, Kidney Aid, Snake Bite Remedy, Venereal Aid
S28 Cherokee traditional medicine
Notes: Cherokee peoples used Rudbeckia fulgida medicinally: root infusion as a wash for sores and swelling caused by worms, root ooze for earache, infusion taken for dropsy (kidney aid), wash for snakebites, and internally for gynecological and venereal complaints. All uses documented by Hamel & Chiltoskey (1975).
S28

❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes: No food uses documented in ethnobotanical literature. Moerman records only medicinal applications for this species among Cherokee peoples.
S28+S29