Sassy, are you sure that isn't aster yellows? I haven't seen it on rudbekia myself but it isn't uncommom on them and causes some pretty bizare growth patterns...

Here is a link that might be useful: Aster yellows disease rudbekia

Groan, note to self - spellcheck, spellcheck. Sorry :)

oooh I don't know ... I've never heard of this disease before. eek.. I'm going to have to do some more googling to check this out! Thanks for the info. I did let them keep growing and they actually turned into tiny little flowers just like the original one.. I really thought it was just the seeds sprouting into whole new flowers! Either way.. very odd looking!

My knee jerk was aster yellows. I have it on my echinacea.

I've seen it cause the little mini-eruption of tiny flowers from a scabiosa-pincushion type flower of cephalaria....

That is bizzare. I guess I don't want that to happen to mine.

It does look like aster yellows.

Karen

Thanks to all for letting me know about this disease. I guess they aren't overachievers after all! lol Did look pretty darn cool tho!

Destroy the plant- remove and trash it. Don't add to your compost. Also check your echinaceas if you have any.

Karen

Alright I've pulled them all out... sad tho.. as this was the only flower my mom had ever planted in the front garden...any idea if the seeds from some of the blooms that DIDN'T show this oddness are still good? I hate to lose what she planted completely... just feels weird! (I lost her to cancer a few years ago..) I know it's not the most amazing flower/plant out there.. but it was hers.. ya know?

Luckily I just began collecting Echinacea plants this year and they're all still babies focusing on their root growth, not their flowers. Hopefully that means they will be ok.

Again, thanks for letting me know about this disease. I'd never heard of that before.

~Wendy

Wendy - "Aster yellows infected plants usually do not set seed, or seeds produced are sterile, but seeds from unaffected flowers may be normal. Aster yellows virus is not known to be passed in the seeds of any plant." So good news for you there!

Keep an eye on your echinacea and any plants nearby, they don't have to be flowering to show signs of aster yellows, even carrots, lettuce can get it ;) If you see something growing that has odd foliage, stems or looks other than you would expect it to look, post another photo for advice.

I don't think its anything to lose sleep over, just be aware. I've seen obvious signs of it on cephalaria on the back edge of my neighbors bed - where everything is neglected :( - for the last few years, my echinacea just 6' away has been fine so far.

I was thinking that it's spread by leaf hoppers.