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 maxima – This upright, stiff perennial from North America grows 5-8′ feet tall and 2′ feet wide. It produces elliptic to spoon shaped, gray-green basal leaves, to 12″ long, and they become progressively smaller up the stem. In late summer it bears slightly drooping flower heads, that are 3″ across, with yellow petals and prominent conical centers of brown.
Zones 4-8
