Rudbeckia fulgida/Black-Eyed Susan
This American classic looks great in the left-most photo above, grown with grasses and the seedheads of Monarda, or in this closer shot. Shown is the popular variety 'Goldstrum,' voted Perennial of the year in 1999.
The species is native to the Southern and Eastern U.S.
Details
- Long bloom time, from July into September.
- Requires full sun or light shade.
- Spreads freely by seedling.
Care
- Fairly drought-tolerant once established. (Newly planted, they need to be watched and watered regularly their first season.)
- No need to divide.
- Most gardeners leave the attractive seedheads standing all winter for the birds. Others remove the dead flowers to prevent spreading.
- Pinching in May can produce bushier, shorter plants, but I've never done it myself. The variety 'Goldstrum' is short enough to not need pinching.
Location Matters
I grow rudbeckia in the Washington, D.C. area, Zone 7A. If you've grown it and have comments you'd like to see included here, send 'em along - and tell me where you garden.
Good Information in Print
- The Well Tended Perennial Garden
by Tracy DiSabato-Aust is the best-selling book on how to make your perennials healthier and better-looking. - Encyclopedia of Perennials
by Graham Rice is exhaustive and an outstanding general resource on the subject. - The Complete Flower Gardener
by Cutler and Ellis is another source I consult regularly.