I just purchased Rudbeckia "Henry Eilers" this year locally...and I am really enjoying it so far. I thought I'd share a few photos of the developing blooms. I don't normally like quilled blooms, but it's ok when they are more uniform like this!
Rudbeckia "Henry Eilers"
Here's one more photo of it...
Here's a side view. These look really good with Salvia!
Oh my goodness, that is beautiful! I've never seen one of those before. Are they pretty easy to grow?
It's very easy to grow. It's a perennial too and comes back from the roots. It's about 3-4 feet tall though. I have it beside a Joe Pye Weed and some Salvia. It's really unique.
I'm kinda using your flowers as my go-by for next year's garden. I did order some Joe Pye Weed from swallowtail seeds. Where can I find photos of your gardens on DG? You're kinda my "American Garden Idol", ha! Have you seen Tex68's garden photos? Amazing too.
I understand it is a good strong grower too. This is not my preference in petal shape, but if you like the skinny or quilled flowers this is from most reports I have seen, a good plant. The color must look very nice with the salvia and JPW.
Another cool thing about this one is it blooms in late July/August when the other plants are looking their worst.
hanseycollie - Thanks. Most of my photos are of Echinaceas only. LOL. I do have some more plants, but I haven't posted many other photos.
If you want to try a beautiful annual - look for Salvia "Dancing Flame" next year. That plant is one of the most beautiful plants ever! I also love Kniphofia, an excellent perennial. I just got Kniphofia "Toffee Nosed" this year and it's beautiful.
oh...and my new favorite plant....I will never have another garden without this plant. I have both red and yellow now. This was the first year for the yellow and it didn't bloom, but the red is beautiful. I can save you some seeds if you want.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/31558/
Oh my gosh, I'd love any seeds at all as I am sooooo going to winter sow this year. I will order some "dancing flame" and also "toffee nosed" from Swallowtail - they just sent me a shipment today. I have a box full of seeds I'm buying and a friend with three teenage boys saving milk cartons for me, ha! (They buy four at a time!) We're oldies - our child is 22 and gone - so no need for regular milk anymore.
I'm so excited for next year - just bought $100 worth of marked down plants at Menards - got some real beauties (some sedum that are 2.5 feet tall for the back of the garden $5 each marked down from $15). I've been watching them all season waiting for the markdown! Quite a few plats of sedum-type groundcovers and a couple large, flowering bushes that I can't remember what they are. (See, I'm old as it's been an hour since I read what they were!)
Thanks again for all the advice. How long have you been gardening to be so knowledgeable?
Nice photos Clint. I kind of reminds me of Rudbeckia "Chim Chiminee"
Lovely pics of Henry, Clint! I have one that I got on sale at a local nursery. It's beginning to look good, but doesn't have any blooms. I'm thinking that it should be gangbusters next year. Fingers crossed...
Thanks! If you're thinking of planting seeds of these, check out this little bit of info I found....
"Only about 15 or 20 percent of the seedlings retain the quilled character, so propagation should be from springtime division."
Good to know. I'd like to grow some of these from seed, but see that some culling would be necessary when they flowered to keep them looking like they should.
Hi echinaceamaniac, I bought Henry from a Bluestone co-op 2 years. Three tiny little plants arrived. First year was great. They grew as you stated. This spring they multiplied like crazy. Making lots of little plants. I divided them and planted all over the garden. What a great plant, I thought. LOL Turned into a monster. They grew to six feet this year and grew like crazy. I transplanted a few to the back of the borders since they had grown so tall. As you stated they are a later bloomer but for me the size of the blooms compared to the size of the plant is just too much. Two weeks ago I shovel pruned all to the garage bin. Filled an entire bin. Hope you like it better than I did the second year.
Arlene
Arlene - Thanks for the info. I knew these get very large so I planted it in a location where it could have plenty of room. I also have a Joe Pye Weed called "Little Joe." It's huge. LOL. They do look good together. I'll see how it looks next year but I really like it. I will deadhead to prevent the seeds from going everywhere. Thanks for the tip.
My dh loves things that get very tall like that. Maybe mine will:) I will be on the lookout for seeding, too. Thanks.
These are beautiful! They have so many blooms per plant. One plant really makes an impression. I have it planted by some Salvia and they look so nice together. In my opinion it's a keeper!
Here's a further away shot...
Here is a bloom stalk. This is not all of the bloom stalks on this one plant either! I also love that these are in full bloom when everything else is winding down.
This message was edited Aug 31, 2009 10:22 AM
Oh my gosh, they are amazing! Absolutely gorgeous...I'm jealous, again!!!
Neat and unique looking. I like it.
My sister in law has this plant by her garage. It was great last year and again this year. Prolific bloomer, sturdy enough to withstand two young boys playing nearby all summer.... Nice. May have to add one here :)
~Sharon