Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Moist meadows and forest openings at moderate elevations in the mountains.
Flowers: June-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bees, flies, beetles, wasps
Coarse, nearly glabrous perennial, 5-20 dm. tall.
Leaves ample, broadly ovate or elliptic, up to 25 cm. long and 15 cm. wide, entire or toothed, the lower petiolate, the upper scarcely so and sub-cordate.
Heads long-pedunculate, the black disk columnar and elongating to as much as 6 cm. in fruit; involucral bracts in 2-3 series, becoming reflexed; corollas all tubular, nearly black; the chaffy bracts on the receptacle with grey tips; pappus a short crown.
Achenes quadrangular
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Rudbeckia occidentalis in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Rudbeckia occidentalis checklist entry
OregonFlora: Rudbeckia occidentalis information
E-Flora BC: Rudbeckia occidentalis atlas page
CalPhotos: Rudbeckia occidentalis photos