CONE-FLOWER
Family COMPOSITAE
Rudbeckia species
Annual
This race contains perennials and annuals, native
to North America.
Rudbeckia bicolor is an annual with yellow-rayed
flowers, two inches across, with maroon centres.
It has given rise to a number of forms of garden
origin, among which var. semiplena is a semi-double-flowered
form.
Rudbeckia hirta, Black-eyed Susan, is an annual
or biennial with golden yellow-rayed flowers deepening
at the base, where they merge into purplish-brown
discs.
Also annual or biennial, Rudbeckia triloba, or
Brown-eyed Susan, reaches three to four feet,
with flowers of yellow with orange or bronze-purple
shading at the base and black central discs.
In the case of the biennials, seed may be sown
in late summer to provide plants that will flower
in the following year.
But it is more usual to sow them and the annual
species under glass in March, the seedlings being
pricked off and planted out where they are to
flower in late May, or seeds may be sown where
they are to flower in late April.
The flowering season is in late summer and early
autumn.
Rudbeckia
Hardy Perennial.
Two to six or seven feet. Flowers strong yellow,
mostly with a dark conical centre, July to September.
The Rudbeckias are a handsome race of border
perennials, differing among themselves a good
deal in height and habit.
The majority flower
rather late in the summer, and are very showy
in the contrast of yellow petals and brown raised
centre.
They prefer a deep loamy soil, and plenty
of moisture.
Rudbeckia Newmanni will often fail in a
sunny exposure in light soil, but will thrive
in a damp spot in partial shade.
All the sorts
should be planted in October or February and early
March; the former is generally best for plants
that are moved entire, the latter when the roots
are cut or divided.
Most of them will require
some support before they have finished their growth.
The following are good varieties.
Rudbeckia laciniata.
Six feet in height, deeply cut
foliage.
Single yellow flowers with dark cone.
Rudbeckia laciniata plena.
The double form of the above;
the flowers are clear yellow, full and globular,
like small cactus dahlias.
The plant is tall,
and sometimes outgrows its strength.
This may
be prevented by cutting the shoots down to about
half their height in June; they will break again
and flower at a more reasonable height.
Rudbeckia purpurea.
Three feet; single flowers of red
purple with dark centre.
Rudbeckia Newmanni (speciosa).
Two to three feet.
Forms a mat of creeping root-stems and leaves,
from which rise stalks bearing orange-yellow flowers,
the petals single and somewhat reflexed, with
a central cone of chocolate or purple-brown.
Supply
plenty of water in a dry season, and replant the
roots every third year.
Rudbeckia bicolour is a hardy annual, yellow with
conical centre, not unlike the perennial form
Newmanni.
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