Annuals & Biennials

Rudbeckia
black-eyed Susan, coneflower

- Height 11/2-3 ft (45-90 cm)
- Planting distance 11/2 ft (45 cm)
- Flowers midsummer to late fall
- Any well-drained soil
- Open, sunny site
- Short-lived perennial grown as half-hardy annual

Rudbeckia hirta and its cultivars are excellent annuals for producing color in flower borders toward the end of summer. Displaying a mass of large yellow or orange daisylike flowers with conspicuous conelike central disks, the plants stand 11/2-3 ft (45-90 cm) high with oblong midgreen leaves and bristly branching stems. Some cultivars may overwinter to flower again for a few years. The blooms are excellent for cutting.

Popular species and cultivars
'Double Gold' bears bright golden yellow double or semi-double flowers that measure up to 41/2 in (11 cm) wide. The plants grow to a height of 3 ft (90 cm).
'Gloriosa Daisy' has huge single flowers in shades of yellow, orange, bronze, and mahogany. The plants reach 3 ft (90 cm) high.
'Goldilocks' bears large golden yellow double and semi-double blooms. The plants reach 11/2-2 ft (45-60 cm) high and have a particularly long flowering season.
'Green Eyes,' up to 21/2 ft (75 cm), is a well-branched cultivar bearing golden yellow, pointed flowers with olive-green centers.
'Marmalade' has golden orange single flowers with black centers and reaches 2 ft (60 cm) high.
'Nutmeg,' 22-21/2 ft (60-75 cm) tall, has double flowers ranging from clear and golden yellow to orange-brown, often with contrasting zones of red.
'Rustic Dwarf Hybrids' bear a mixture of large single flowers in shades of golden yellow, mahogany-red, and bronze.
'Sputnik' ('Kelvedon Star') has large 4-in (10-cm) wide flowers with bright yellow petals around prominent dark brown center. The plants grow up to 3 ft (90 cm) tall, and the flowers are especially long-lasting when cut.

Annuals
and
Biennials