Plant Rudbeckia in drifts if you want to see butterflies, birds and bees in your landscape.
Fond memories and easy summer days may come to mind when you see the yellow, daisy-like flowers of Rudbeckias. There are more than 20 different annual, biennial and perennial species of this low maintenance flower.
The brown cone in the midst of the golden yellow petals inspired the name Black-eyed Susan, commonly used for all Rudbeckias. Actually it is the accepted common name for our native Rudbeckia hirta. This popular beauty blooms all summer, tolerates clay soil, drought and deer tend to leave it alone.
Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida) is native to southeastern United States. You’ll enjoy the same easy care as Black-eyed Susan, but have the best results if you mulch the soil to keep it evenly moist throughout the growing season. This is a great choice for rain gardens. The Goldsturm variety is more compact at 18-24 inches tall and a prolific bloomer. ‘Viette’s Little Suzy’ is even smaller at 1 ½ feet tall and 1 foot wide… Perfect for small spaces and seems to be resistant to leaf spot disease.
On the other extreme is Rudbeckia ‘Herbstonne’ as it grows 4 to 7 feet tall. The 3 to 4” daisy-like flowers have drooping yellow petals and a green center. This plant’s height makes it a great backdrop in flowerbeds and mixed borders.
All of the Rudbeckias are great pollinator plants. You’ll find bees and butterflies visiting the flowers. Birds will snack on the seeds in the winter garden. And, the deer tend to ignore them.
Asters, Coneflowers, Liatris and native grasses like Switchgrass and Prairie Dropseed mix well with Rudbeckia. They also combine well with non-native perennials like Sedum, Red Hot Poker, Yarrow and Fountain Grass.
When you add a few of these show-stopping perennials to your formal, informal or natural gardens, you’ll enjoy the long bloom time, the pollinators that visit and the new seedlings that can be transferred to other gardens in order to create a new pollinator paradise.
At a Glance: Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Names: Rudbeckia, orange coneflower, sweet coneflower, Black-eyed Susan
Size: 2 to 7 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, depending on variety
Light: Full sun for best bloom but will tolerate light shade.
Water: Water thoroughly whenever the top few inches of soil are crumbly and moist.
Fertilizer: Spread a one inch layer of compost over the soil surface every other year. Fertilize in spring with a low nitrogen, slow-release fertilizer if plants need a nutrient boost.
Soil: Well-drained… tolerates heavy soil with good drainage.
Written by, gardening expert, Melinda Myers. Each month Melinda will feature a low maintenance plant perfect for beginning and experienced gardeners looking for attractive easy care plants. Melinda Myers is a nationally recognized gardening expert with more than 30 years of horticulture experience. She is a wealth of knowledge and we are pleased to share Melinda’s Low Maintenance Plant of the Month with you!
