Autumn Colors Black-Eyed Susan is a perennial of the Asteraceae family. This dwarf Black-eyed Susan (grows up to 2 ft tall, with a similar spread), it manages to produce an abundance of large (up to 5” across) flowers in shades of burgundy and bright yellow to orange-yellow rays, around a dark chocolate brown domed cone. In fact, these very blooms have made it an award winning cultivar. It has been recognized by both Fleuroselect (the international organisation for the ornamental plants industry, based in the Netherlands) and the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK. Plant is compact, upright, stiff and leafy. Fits in well in any border. Foliage is rough and hairy, and lance-shaped. A long (from July to frost), as well as prolific bloomer, Autumn Colors Black-Eyed Susan requires almost no upkeep once it is established. Of course, deadheading will improve floriferousness, and you will want to gather some seeds for other parts of your garden, and to share with your friends. Autumn Colors Rudbeckia will continue to spread slowly through self-seeding, with the flowers on subsequent plants becoming larger. Blooms the first year it is planted. It’s a wonderful perennial for sunny cutting gardens; and naturalized and wildflower gardens. It will attract many butterfly varieties. Tolerant of drought, heat, deer and clay soil. It can be strongly impacted by cold, so do mulch and cover in the winter. Because of this, some people grow it as an annual. However, given its seeding nature, you will always have new plants coming on.
