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Growing Rudbeckia
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Rudbeckia - Growing Guide

Growing Rudbeckia

Coneflower

As with so many other floriferous herbaceous border plants (eg Helenium, Gaillardia) coneflowers are also mostly rhizomatous perennials originating in meadows and woodland in North America.

R. fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ has been probably the best selling herbaceous plant in the Burncoose catalogue for the last three years. Its success demonstrates the floriferousness of this easily grown plant which is now so widely recognised and admired.

Rudbeckia will grow in any reasonably fertile soil providing it is well drained and grow well in both sun and partial shade. They make excellent cut flowers in the herbaceous border or in pots and the daisy-like flowers are borne on long stems from July through to the autumn. Removing the dead flower heads will prolong the succession of flowers right through the season.

These plants are easily increased by lifting and dividing mature clumps with a sharp spade or cutting implement to produce new plants. This can be done in autumn or spring when the plants are dormant. Seed can also be collected and sown in the spring but if you grow more than one Rudbeckia variety you may well find that you have seedlings of variable colour.

R. fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ grows to only about 2ft in height. Its daisy-like flowers are golden yellow with darker circular centres. The petals do not recurve as the flowers mature and are on shorter stems than in many other varieties.