6 reasons people love rudbeckia

Rudbeckias are one of the best plants for longevity and all-around garden performance. Here's some reasons why they should be front and center in your garden.

There are numerous other rudbeckias to try from either plants or seed:

• Cutleaf coneflowers (Rudbeckia laciniata) make a stunning show in late summer. They produce a riot of yellow flowers with green centers.
• For double flowers, go for the shaggy, many-petaled 'Goldquelle'.
• Three-lobed coneflower (R. triloba) can tolerate some shade. They blossom into dozens of button-sized, black-eyed yellow daisies.

• When they're pleased with their site, rudbeckias develop into vigorous clumps.
• They also have a talent for adapting their growth pattern to their current climate.
• In hot, humid climates, plants may flourish for only two years or so, during which time they shed seeds that sprout in either fall or early spring.
• Even if a parent perishes unexpectedly, you should find plenty of adoptable specimens. Dig up the new plants and move them to where you want them to grow and flower.

• Rudbeckias reward minimal effort with a three-month outpouring of flowers that few other perennials can match.
• Unlike some daisy relatives, rudbeckias have sturdy stems. No matter how many flowers they generate, the plants never flop or need staking.
• The stiff stems make rudbeckias ideal for arrangements. Cut stems early in the morning, before they've been stressed by sun.

• Turn rudbeckias loose in a sunny meadow, where they'll supply a splash of bright yellow all summer.
• Try planting a mass alongside a wooden fence for a casual, colourful display.
• Rudbeckia's appearance is neat enough to be included in a perennial border. Pick a spot where it can grow tall and full.

• Grow rudbeckias in well-drained, moderately fertile soil to get them off to a strong start.
• Set out plants in early spring, or in the fall where winters are mild.
• If the site is naturally moist, you'll need to water less.
• If you want to increase your stock, dig and divide mature plants in the spring, replanting them at the same depth at which they previously grew.

• Late in the season you may see whitish patches of powdery mildew on the leaves. By this time, it's fine to cut the plants back.
• Cut them to 15 centimetres (six inches) to nip this unsightly, but never fatal, fungal disease in the bud.
• While most pests shun rudbeckias, you may spot sap-sucking aphids on tender new growth. Knock them off with a strong stream of water, or apply insecticidal soap.
• Tuck bars of deodorant-formula bath soap among plantings to repel deer, or apply a commercial repellent.

Rudbeckias are beautiful, tall flowers that can add jolts of colour to almost any garden, and they're very easy to maintain. If you give them a head start in the beginning, your rudbeckias may grow tall and strong, and be easy to prepare for the next season.