Rudbeckia

( rud - BEK - ee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of perennial and biennial flowering plants needs full sun and moderate to regular water. Their flowers will attract birds, butterflies, and other beneficial insects to your garden, making them a great choice for gardeners who love biodiversity. They have large, yellow flowers, and are easy to grow. Rudbeckia makes great cut flowers, and cutting them for this purpose will encourage more blooms to form. Blooms appear in summer and fall. 

Rudbeckia Species and Varietals

The genus Rudbeckia is a member of the plant family Asteraceae and includes around 25 species. Rudbeckia grows well in zones 1-24, though this varies depending on the species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Rudbeckia californica (California Coneflower)
These flowers are native to California and prefer to grow in moist habitats, like streambanks and meadows. The species forms an erect perennial plant with green basal foliage. Flowering stems support solitary yellow blooms with brown protruding centers. This species reaches between 3 and 6.5 feet tall when in bloom.

Rudbeckia fulgida (Orange Coneflower, Perennial Coneflower)
This perennial reaches 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide, and has branching stems and dark green, hairy foliage. Flowers are yellow with a dark central cone, and bloom in summertime. Varieties include 'Early Bird Gold' (with a longer blooming period than the species), and Rudbeckia fulgida sullivantii 'Goldsturm' (with yellow flowers that have black eyes on 2.5 foot tall stems).
Rudbeckia hirta (Gloriosa Daisy, Black-Eyed Susan, Black Betty, Golden Jerusalem, English Bull's Eye, Poor-Land Daisy, Yellow Daisy, Yellow Ox-Eye Daisy)
This species of is a biennial or short-lived perennial that is often grown as an annual. Flowers are orange-yellow and a prominent purple-black central cone. These flowers are known to attract bees. Varieties are outlined below:
'Indian Summer'
​Single to semidouble golden yellow flowers. 
'Irish Eyes' ('Green Eyes')
Yellow flowers with a green central cone. 
'Prairie Sun'
Golden yellow flowers with pale yellow tips and a light green central cone.
'Tiger Eye'
16-24 inch tall plant with profuse blooms.
'Denver Daisy'
2 feet tall and 18 inches wide.
'Cherokee Sunset'
2-2.5 feet tall with double or semi double blooms.
'Goldilocks'
Double blooms on a plant that reaches 8-10 inches tall.
'Toto'
8-10 inch tall plant.

Rudbeckia laciniata (Cut-Leaf Coneflower, Green Headed Coneflower, Goldenglow, Sochan, Thimbleweed)
This perennial can reach 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide, and has light green leaves. Blooms pop in summer and last through fall and are yellow with a light green cone. Varieties include 'Goldquelle' (with double blooms), 'Herbstsonne' (also called 'Autumn Sun', reaching 6 feet tall and 2 feet wide, with single flowers that are yellow with a green cone that matures to yellow).

Rudbeckia occidentalis (Western Coneflower)
This species of Coneflower is native to the northwestern United States, where it prefers to grow in moist habitats, such as meadows. These erect perennials form from a thick rhizome and produce an unbranched stem reaching about 6 feet tall when in bloom. Flowers are rayless, and centers are purple-brown, packed with small blooms. 

Rudbeckia fulgida (Orange Coneflower, Perennial Coneflower)
Native to eastern North America, these herbaceous perennials reach up to around 50 inches tall when in bloom, and produce bright yellow daisy-form flower heads. Leaves and stems are dark green and somewhat hairy. There are many subspecies with flowers in various colors, and there are also many varietals of this species. Choice garden selections include 'Goldsturm', 'Little Goldstar', and 'Pot of Gold'.

​​Rudbeckia triloba (Brown-Eyed Susan, Thin-Leaved Coneflower, Three-Leaved Coneflower)
This species is perennial and reaches 3-5 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide, with yellow flowers that have brown centers. They will reseed freely and will spread if allowed to do so. These plants are widely cultivated in gardens, and are easy to grow when provided with full sun and moist soil.

Caring for Rudbeckia

Divide every few years when the plants become crowded and performance suffers.  Deadhead regularly.

Propagation

Problems and Pests

Gallery

Camellias are great candidates to be grown as container plants on your patio.
A field of thea sinensis
Camellia hiemalis 'Shishi Gashira'

Videos

A video all about growing camellias successfully
Propagating camellias

Resources

Wikipedia: Rudbeckia
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 579 - 580, Rudbeckia
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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