It has alternate, mostly basal leaves 10–18 cm long, covered by coarse hair, with stout branching stems and daisy-like, composite flower heads appearing in late summer and early autumn.

Numerous cultivars have been developed, of which 'Indian Summer'[11] and 'Toto'[12] have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Gloriosa daisies are tetraploid cultivars having much larger flower heads than the wild species, often doubled or with contrasting markings on the ray florets.

[14] Gloriosa daisies are generally treated as annuals or short-lived perennials and are typically grown from seed, though there are some named cultivars.

[21] The roots, though not the seedheads, of Rudbeckia hirta can be used much like the related Echinacea purpurea with unsubstantiated claims to boost immunity and fight colds, flu and infections.

The Ojibwa people used it as a poultice for snake bites and to make an infusion for treating colds and worms in children.