Rudbeckia hirta

Found: in fields, roadsides, and waste places throughout the northeast

Height: 0.3 to 1 meter (1 to 3 feet)

Leaves: lance-shaped with hairy bristles

Flowers: yellow with 8-21 petals surrounding a dark brown center. The plant flowers mostly between June and October.

Uses: the plant has been found to have immuno-stimulant activity similar to Echinacea. Native Americans also used the root tea for colds and an external wash for sores and swelling.