Rudbeckia fulgida - Orange Coneflower or Black-Eyed Susan (Asteraceae) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rudbeckia fulgida is a perennial primarily known subtle ornamental effect in winter (but this promotes through its extremely popular cultivar 'Goldsturm' a copious amount of self-sowing in the immediate that is noted for its magnificent mid- to late-summer vicinity, and they can be deadheaded after bloom to yellow-orange-petaled, black-centered flowers that prevent this potential liability) rise above the dark green basal foliage. Orange Coneflower is commonly seen as a specimen in beds, USAGE in mass embankment or roadside plantings, or Function naturalized in neglected urban areas. -beds, borders, entranceways, raised planters, meadows, or any naturalized sunny areas FEATURES Texture Form -bold texture -small- to medium-sized herbaceous perennial -thick density -species form matures at 3' tall x 3' wide, but Assets cultivars are smaller -spectacular yellow-orange flowers with black "eyes" -upright clump growth habit in mid-summer Culture -subtle ornamental winter effect of persistent black -full sun to partial shade fruiting heads -performs best in full sun in moist, well-drained soils, -urban tolerant (to drought, thin soils, and neglect) but is very adaptable to dry soils, compacted soils, -naturalizes via self-sowing thin soils, drought, and soils of various pH Liabilities -propagated primarily by clump division in very early -vigorous crown growth and a strong tendency to spring, but also prolific in its self-sowing nature by self-sow will severely encroach on surrounding seeds, forming wide-spreading crowns after 3 or perennials or small shrubs within 2-3 yrs. from the more yrs. of establishment and reseeding initial planting, unless the triple maintenance of -Daisy Family, with leaf spot being the only minor deadheading, seedling rogueing, and crown division cosmetic disease of significance occur on a yearly basis -abundantly available in container form Habitat -prune dead stems back to the ground every late -Zones 4 to 8 winter to allow new growth to emerge unimpeded; -Native to the U.S. however, if self-sowing is to be curtailed, the stems must be sheared back and discarded in mid-autumn SELECTIONS before the seed heads mature Alternates Foliage -perennials of mid- to late-summer flowering known -alternate, dark green, for their dependable performance during hot weather ovate, and sparsely (Heliopsis helianthoides, Hemerocallis, Lilium, dentate, with the lower Miscanthus, Perovskia, Phlox paniculata, Sedum leaves originating from 'Herbstfreude' ['Autumn Joy'], etc.) the crown having -perennials of yellow-orange or golden flowers petioles, but the upper (various species and cultivars of Coreopsis, leaves sessile on the Gaillardia, Heliopsis, Hemerocallis, Lilium, flowering stems Rudbeckia, etc.) -leaves emerge pubescent Variants but become rough to the -Rudbeckia fulgida 'Viette's Little Suzie' - a compact touch by summer, but are variety and cultivar that soon will become a standard not nearly as pubescent or among perennials (perhaps even replacing hirsute as the species 'Goldsturm' in the nursery trade), to 15" x 15", with Rudbeckia hirta, the dark green, glossy, basal leaves with raised margins annual "Black-Eyed that form a "cup" along the center of the leaf blade, Susan" having the traditional very showy golden-yellow -basal foliage may be flowers with black centers, but on shorter stems semi-evergreen in mild Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm' - winters, but is not while the species form is prevalent (along with other ornamentally attractive species of this genus) in meadows of central North and often unnoticed America, this slightly more compact (to 2' x 2') and Flowers floriferous variety and cultivar is an extremely -the yellow-orange ray popular perennial in urban landscaping, having been flowers (petals) surround selected in Germany (and translating as "Gold the black disk flowers Storm"; sometimes incorrectly labeled as (cone-shaped center), at 'Goldstrum') the numerous terminals of the continuously -Rudbeckia hirta - Black-Eyed Susan, Oxeye Daisy, branching stems or Gloriosa Daisy - somewhat similar to the above in -each flower lasts about 2 weeks, with the overall overall appearance, but an annual (however, it bloom time for about 3-4 weeks anytime from late reseeds itself readily and can be considered a July to early Sept., depending on the intensity of the functional perennial under many wild or naturalizing heat and drought of the season (drought encourages conditions); to 3' x 2', with scabrous leaves and larger early bloom and senescence) flowers, having petals of golden-yellow edges and Fruits red, mahogany, brown, or orange hues toward the -the yellow-orange petals slowly fade to a withered center, with a brown or black "eye" of central disk yellow-brown, which slowly abscise to reveal the flowers black spherical fruiting heads -the seed heads are usually left on the plant for a .