Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
8/7/03
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Linda Naeve, Reiman Gardens, (515) 294-8946, lnaeve@iastate.edu
Jean McGuire, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-7033,
jmcguire@iastate.edu
Prairie Sun Rudbeckia is a Real Black-eyed Beauty
By Linda Naeve
Extension Coordinator
Reiman Gardens
Have you ever had to look closely at a flower arrangement or secretly touch it to see if the flowers were real? Silk flowers and plants available today look so real their leaves and blossoms often contain a few natural imperfections or signs of aging. Likewise in nature, there are some flowers that look artificial because they are absolutely perfect in form and color. This week's Reiman's Pick, Prairie Sun Rudbeckia, is one of these flowers.
Rudbeckia hirta Prairie Sun is a very real plant with "artificial" characteristics. Careful breeding by researchers resulted in its perfect beauty and durability. It is an unusual black-eyed Susan with its large size and distinctive colored blooms. The flower head is about 5 inches in diameter and has gold ray flowers (petals) that appear to have been tipped in bright yellow paint. Instead of the typical brown center or cone found on many black-eyed Susans, the center in Prairie Sun is a light green, circular button. The plant grows up to 3 feet tall.
Prairie Sun blooms from mid-summer through fall. It grows best in full sun with moderate soil moisture, yet will tolerate dry periods. Prairie Sun provides a bright splash of color in gardens. It is a bold focal point particularly when several plants are grouped together in a perennial border. It also makes a wonderful cut flower to enjoy indoors.
The outstanding qualities of Prairie Sun have earned it much recognition within the gardening industry. It is a 2003 All-America Selections winner and a Fleuroselect Winner in Europe.
People aren't the only ones who enjoy black-eyed Susan plants. They are also a favorite of rabbits. Fortunately, most deer do not find it attractive. To prevent rabbits from feasting on the plants, put a 2-foot high chicken wire cage around the planting. Bury the bottom of the fence at least an inch so that rabbits won't crawl under it.
Unlike most plants, it is difficult to classify Rudbeckia as an annual, biennial or perennial because it sometimes performs as each. Some species produce a basal rosette of leaves the first year and then produce an upright branching stem with flowers the second year. It can also be considered a short-lived perennial when the rosette stage lasts more than one year before flowering. Prairie Sun will bloom the first year from seed.
Many species freely self-seed when the spent blooms are not removed, resulting in many small plants growing close together in a mat or as volunteers sprouting up throughout the garden.
Rudbeckia species are collectively referred to as black-eyed Susans because of the characteristic dark-brown central disk flowers surrounded by bright yellow ray flowers.
There are about 25 species in the Rudbeckia genus, all native to the plains and prairies of the Midwest. Black-eyed Susans eventually found their way east with travelers. This native of the plains established so well and is so widespread, it became the state flower of Maryland. It also made its way to Europe in the 18th century where Europeans enjoyed its beauty in gardens even before the genus was officially named by Swedish taxonomist Carolus Linnaeus in 1753 in honor of his college professor, Olof Rudbeck.
Prairie Sun Rudbeckia can be seen in the trial beds at Reiman Gardens along with other All-America Selections Winners for 2003.
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Editors: A color photo, suitable for publication, is available at right. Click on the thumbnail photo to go to the fullsized photo. The picture's fullsize photo is 284K. Caption: Prairie Sun Rudbeckia |
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