Description
Rudbeckia – Coneflower –
There are 15-20 popular annuals, biennials, and perennial, in the Asteraceae family, in this genus. They are occur from moist meadows and light woodland in North America. They have branched or unbranched stems, and most have alternate, simple to pinnatifid, occasionally pinnate, prominently veined leaves, toothed toward the tips. Species range in height from 2′ to 10′ feet tall. It produces usually solitary, single or semi double daisy like flowers, often with petals that point down and out, and a prominent conical centers that can be black, brown, or green, held for long periods from summer to autumn. Most are good for cut flowers. Grow in a border, or naturalize in meadow or woodland garden. Most cultivars of R. hirta are grown as annual, and are good for bedding or border.
Grow in moderately fertile, preferably heavy but well drained soil that does not dry out, in full sun or partial shade. Divide in spring or fall.
Prone to slugs and snails, aphids, powdery mildew, rust, smut, Ramularia leaf spot and septoria leaf spot.
R. fulgida – Black-eyed Susan – Orange Coneflower – This rhizomatous perennial from Eastern USA grows 36″ tall and 18″ wide. It produce hairy stems, that carry long stalked, oblong to lance shaped, smooth edged basal leaves, to 5″ long, and lance shaped, toothed stem leaves, both are mid to dark green and slightly hairy, with prominent veins. Flower heads are to 3″ across, with 10-15 orange-yellow petals and a conical brown center are borne 2-7 per stem from late summer to mid autumn.
Var. sullivantii ‘Goldstrum’ – Rudbeckia ‘Goldstrum’ – Grows 24″ tall and has large golden yellow flower heads, up to 5″ across, on shorter stems than the species and narrow, lanceolate, green leaves.
Zones 4-9
