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.
Rudbeckia laciniata – Coneflower – Cutleaf Coneflower – This rhizomatous, hairless, glaucous perennial from Central and Eastern North America grows 5-10′ feet tall and 3′ feet wide. It forms loose clumps of tall, wiry stems, branched toward their tips. Basal leaves, to 4″ long, are pinnate or pinnatisect, each with deeply 3 to 5 lobed, toothed leaflets and prominent veins, stem leaves become less deeply lobed up the stems. From mid summer to mid autumn it bears flower heads, 3-6″ across, with reflexed pale yellow petals and hemispherical to conical, greenish yellow centers.
Zones 3-9
