Who loves Rudbeckias!

Debbie - I am updating your thread for this year.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/583698/

Goldilocks has singles and doubles on the same plant.

My rudbeckia Cherokee Sunset went through the winter with no protection -- it was a weird winter but I think they are hardier than I thought at first -- on this site it says 5a but on some other site it said zone 6 ... I'm happy to say they are bigger and better than ever and I will be getting lots of blooms ... will post a picture when they bloom

Al - Those sure are beauties -- I'm used to seeing the common type (Goldsturm?) only. I now have a new appreciation for rudbeckia and will probably add them to my list for next spring.

Sharon

Thanks Sharon.

There are quite a selection of the hirtas. They bloom their first year from seed is the great thing - you can try new varieties every year.

this is Cherokee Sunset.

Bunch of Rudbeckias - self seeded

I'm looking to buy the tallest Rudbeckia's I can find for a wild area next to a pond. Rudbeckia maximillian grows over 6' and Rudbeckia auriculata can grow 10'. Anyone grow these.

Also, which Blackeyed Susans are perennial?

Deborah

I got a 'Cordoba" this weekend, I love it. My 'Goldstrum" has reseeded all over the place. I really don't mind.

Deborah, I have rudbeckia maxima in my garden. It's a wonderful plant. The foliage is low until the flower stems start growing then it's around 6-7 feet tall. I assume that's what you're talking about. The foliage is different from other rudbeckias, kind of fleshy and bluish like cabbage leaves. It blooms later than the other rudbeckias, fairly late in the summer here.

Goldsturm has been very reliably perennial in my zone 6 garden and has reseeded a bit, not invasively. In your zone, I would imagine many of them would be perennial. I love the huge flowers on Goldsturm.

Good news to hear, Hart. I'm trying to plant butterfly and hummer gardens around a fishing pond. I also want some tall plants that I can see from my sunroom window. R. maxima sounds like it is just what I'm looking for. I got really confused on rather or not Rudbeckia was perennial or biannual since it does reseed. I guess it does depend on the climate zones too.

There are annual rudbeckias and perennial ones. I don't know of any that are biennials. Both the maxima and Goldsturm are perennials.

A quick way of finding out whether one that you like is perennial or annual is to check the Thompson and Morgan catalog. Their rudbeckias are all labeled whether they are perennials or not.

Another nice dramatic plant that's easy to see from a distance but it has to have shade is goatsbeard - aruncus. It will make a nice sized clump for you if you give it the right conditions. It looks like astilbe on steriods. Mine are probably a bit over 4 feet tall and they're in a spot that's probably a bit too dry for them.

BTW, here's Goldsturm in my garden with white coneflowers.

Nice Hart.

Deb - Nitidas are usually tall. I have Herbstonne that is 6'

Here is Chim Chimeree

Are all R. rirta biennials? When a seed catalog doesn't say one way or the other, only saying , "leave some to self seed" , makes me wonder.

I'm about to sit down and really read through T&M's catalog. Goldsturm's one to have too.
Looking up your, Al. Those are standouts.

Do you mean annuals? I don't know of any rudbeckias that are biennials.

I I don't know if they're annual or perennial. I bought a mix of 3 plants called Gloriosa Daisies from BlueStone P. last fall.. They were very small plants. The catalog didn't specify rather annual or perennial, only saying to allow some to reseed themselves in order to have plants next year. One plant died within a couple of weeks after planting. The other two are now in full bloom. Since they didn't bloom last fall and overwintered to bloom now, I was thinking, well, maybe they're biennial. They'll just reseed this year and these plants won't come back next year. Maybe they're tender perennials? I can't get to my other computer where my pictures are, so I'll post them tomorrow. Hart, I'd really like for you to take a look at them.

Most of the r. hirtas are zone 5-8 or 9 sometimes 6. How's that for confusing. I think sometimes they don't get real picky because they do reseed and flower from seed their first year. I don't think around here they are sold as perennials - only Goldsturm.
Like I said all of mine did overwinter here, even Autumn Colors growing in heavy clay where snow is piled.

Here's a pic of one plant I got only Identified as mix of Gloriosa Daisies.

Here's a pic of the other plant. Wish I knew the cultivar name and whether or not I can expect them to return next year. The did survive winter to be blooming now.

In your zone, it could be that any of them are going to come back. That top photo looks like Goldsturm. Don't know what the other one is but it sure is pretty. You might want to browse through plant files and see if you can ID it.

Goldsturm has been reliably perennial for me. I've planted Becky a couple of times and they never come back up the next spring.

I love these things if for no other reason than they bloom 1st year from seed. :)

Here's another

a cozy pair

Cute pics, everybody! Love rudbeckias. Especially 'prairie sun'.

So, if we wanted to try to sow some seeds now maybe the little plants will overwinter and bloom next summer fairly early? After reading some of the posts above, I googled for seeds and there are some interesting collections...

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds/pages/Default.asp

http://www.suttons.co.uk/SearchResults.aspx?criteria=rudbeckia&grp=

http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=advsearchresults&SearchText=p13.Rudbeckia&scChannel=Easy-Care%20AS

http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/euf/en/list/full-index/r/2

This pic is from last year...

llloquin, what is it? I really, really like it!

Goodness, T, I love that color combination! You've got my vote on sowing more Rudbeckia seeds now.

Tabasco,

They seem to be daylength-photo sensitive or whatever the word is for not being able to set buds & bloom in days that get longer, only as soon as the days get shorter. So I think they bloom after June 22, the summer solstice no matter how early you start them.

The ones you see at the garden center were artificially induced and I think as soon as those flowers and buds bloom, there aren't any more until after June 22. If they are lucky and have plants with 2-3 buds on them, those buds will carry the plant with bloom until the calendar turns and the consumer is ne'er the wiser.

The bottom line is go ahead and start them Aug 15th if your springtime is a busy one and you have places in your garden where the tiny seedlings won't be overwhelmed in spring by daffodils, tulips or other plants. And where the angle of the sun will provide them with enough sun, but otherwise, a late winter-early spring sowing will yield the same bloomtime, anyway. In spring you can remember where the bulbs are and put the baby plants -- and I planted WSd seedlings that were so small I planted them about 3" apart just so I could see them! -- just where they will be protected fromother plants and not shaded out from the angle of the sun.

Suzy

OK. I will wait until spring to get the rudbeckia started.

Yes, enthusiastic wintersowing can be hard on the knees and back when it comes time to plant them out! I am out of garden space here unless I take down some trees. Which I may do when my DH goes out of town. LOL

Crash&Boot - Thank you so much! It is 'Cherokee Sunset', but the important part is they were swapped seeds, so really they are the offspring of 'Cherokee Sunset' or "X Cherokee Sunset". Here is some of the variation. I wish I had spread these plants out because now they are fighting each other instead of complimenting each other.

Live and Learn.

The big double I had a close up of above is in this shot, but more opened up. It is 5 1/2 inches in diameter and about 4 inches deep. A HUGE flower.

Suzy

Suzy, That grouping is goreous. Was everything in the picture sown this year from seeds.?

Woo woo! I like your border, Illoquin! Very pretty with your ' x Cherokee Sunset'. --- I never knew what the ' x ' meant when I was reading seed lists, so thanks again for all the good info!

They are annuals here in central FL, love em anyway. My yard is too small to grow them, so I love them when I see at the Botanical Garden in Largo.

C-Dawg, Why thank you! Yes, everything in the photo was started from seed. In the photo, off to the right you can see a Sweet Bay Magnolia Tree and off to the left is a rose and those were there before. Can you see why planting out my seedlings plus wintersowing seedlings about killed me? That's just one little section!

Tabasco, it literally means "cross" or "crossed with". I think actually it should be 'Cherokee Sunset X', since Cherokee sunset was the seed parent, but I forgot when I was writing to Crash.

Here is some of those Chrysanthemum Tricolor Daisies I love combined with a little late poppy.

Suzy

Will your Chrysanthemum Daisies rebloom again in the fall or just continue to bloom until frost? Are they also called mums?
Also, have you seen any Tiger Swallow Tail Cats on your Sweet Bay Magnolia?

C-Dawg, I'm not sure how long they bloom; this is the first year I have had enough of them that they didn't get overrun by their neightbors!

The Latin name -- the GENUS name AND the SPECIES! - has changed several times over the last 30 years. It has been quite annoying looking for seeds, but most places call them "Tricolor Daisies" or "tricolor mums", tho they aren't anything like a regular chrysanthemum.

Right now the Latin name is Ismelia carinata. I'll get a pic of 'German Flag' and 'Polar Star' which should be in the same Genus & species, but who knows? Here is one called Garland Chrysanthemum or Crown Daisy 'Primrose Gem'. It is Chrysanthemum coronarium, which is what the Tricolor dailies used ot be called. Augh! The lily in the background is either Honeymoon or Boogie Woogie.

Whoops, sorry, that photo wasn't any good -- I'll take another pic of that one, too, while I'm at it.

Suzy

Illoquin--fun to look at your garden pics! Looks like everything is thriving with your TLC!

Thanks, Tabasco. Here is a better shot of the Primrose Gem, not great but the best I could do. The one plant closest to the camera is a single, the rest are full doubles.

Here's the 'German Flag' I love most. It is just starting.

I forgot to take a pic of 'Polar Star' and now it's too dark.

Suzy

i think this is rudebeckia from seed sown this year