This is at or near the top of every expert's list of the best perennials of all. Developed in Germany, this is a hybrid of one of our native wildflowers, the Black-eyed Susan, and it's one of the most useful perennials ever introduced.As you may know, the common roadside Black-eyed Susan is named Rudbeckia hirta, and it's a biennial. (We have the seed in our Wildflower Seed Section, and it's a mainstay of wildflower mixtures. But it's not dependably perennial.)
This is what prompted interest in the hardiest perennial species in the Rudbeckia group. (They look exactly alike) The tough native perennial Black Eyed Susan is R. fulgida, so this is the one a German hybridizer used to create the now-famous Goldsturm strain. (In German, "Goldsturm means, literally, "Gold Storm.")
Today, these tough, hardy, heavy-flowering plants light up our landscapes everywhere from backyard gardens to flower borders at gas stations and malls. This fantastic plant spreads slowly, is easy to divide when it grows large, and never fails with weeks and weeks of wonderful golden blooms. This is a classic perennial that every garden must have.
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Botanical Name: Rudbeckia fulgida
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Common Name: Black Eyed Susan
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Color: Golden yellow daisy like flowers surround a velvety brown center
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Spread/Width: 18-24" wide
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Bloom Time: Mid summer to early fall
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Sun/Shade: Full Sun to partial shade
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Soil Preferences: Easily grown in moist, well drained soil.
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Advantages: Attracts butterflies. Deer resistant.
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Indigenous To: No. American Native Plant or near hybrid
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