Rudbeckia? (flowers, growing, seeding, peach)

[RUBIES77]

We visited Newport, Rhode Island, and came across a plant with a dark-brown center, and very long yellow petals, about 4 to 5 inches long. The plant was about 30 inches tall. It was October, the end of the flowering season, and I was told it was a Rudbeckia by a garden center. I only saw this flower in some mansions by the ocean. I have tried to find the species name, but found about 1,000 different species in Google. Not one of my friends knows what is the name. Could this be a biennial rudbeckia, and does anyone grows them, or seen them that large? Thanking you in advance,

[cmacf1]

rudebekia is black-eyed susan. It's a perennial (or perhaps a biennial) that we grow in our garden here in Maryland (it's the state flower of Maryland, btw.) I'm pretty sure it's a perennial because it does come up year after year. Ours are about 30 inches tall. Gorgeous flowers, aren't they? Our flowers aren't quite that large, though. I'd say ours are about 3 inches across.

[KwaK]

rubies
here is a picture of my rudebekia /black-eyed susans one year, they are about 30 to 36" high



These reseeded themselves from the plants I had in the year before
The dark brown center are the seeds when the flower dries so once you put in one or two
They should come back each year
Mine got so thick that each year I wait till the plants are about 6" then dig them out and give them to friends

I have even found them growing in the spaces in the driveway
So if you do not want that much reseeding you can "dead head " the flowers before they dry

p.s. you can also collect the seeds and share them with friends

[RUBIES77]

Thanks so much, Karla.

[KwaK]

your welcome

[graceC]

They grow well pretty much anywhere and very easy to grow from seeds. You might want to check out Black-eyed susan's vine version too (Thunbergia Alata), which is annual but grows like crazy from seeds in one season with various colors (yellow, peach, orange, white, and pink).

[poconoproud]

Plant them with purple cone-flowers. They compliment each other gorgeously!

[Ohiogirl81]

Since we're on the topic, any ideas why the leaves on my rudbeckia would be turning purple? And then the flowers and leaves wilt. It's not lack of water -- I water deeply every third or fourth day, and they don't perk up after watering. And they're not new plants, either.

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm panicking!!

[KwaK]

ohiogirl

do you find this happening to all of them of just the "older" ones
I have noticed on mine that once the bloom starts to dry that the leaves get all wilted and do look a little purpleish

[Briolat21]

They grow as wildflowers here (north of Cincinnati) - I'm going to be digging some up from my back "meadow" to use in my front flower beds!! Always nice when a native "weed" happens to have a pretty flower!