'Henry Eilers' Sweet Coneflower (Rudbeckia)
Perennial
- Tubular petals add interesting texture to the blooms!
- Lightly fragrant with a vanilla scent.
- Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
- Zones 4-8, part sun/sun, 4-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Common name: Black-eyed Susan, Sweet Coneflower
Zone: 4 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 4-5' X 2-3'
Flower color: Golden yellow
Foliage color: Green
Season of interest: Mid summer through fall
Bloom time: Summer, fall
Features: Rare & unusual, rabbit resistant, native, heat tolerant, fragrant, deer resistant, container plants, cold tolerant, best sellers, best for beginners
Uses: Background, border, cottage gardening, foundation planting, massing, naturalizing, specimen
How to Grow
Light: Tolerates light shade, but best in full sun.
Water: Water regularly until established. Once established, it does tolerate mild drought.
Spacing: 1 - 2 ft.
Fertilizing: Go easy on the fertilizer. Too much will result in weak stems and plants. A side dressing of compost should be all they'll need.
Winterizing: You can let the last flowers of the season remain on the plants to go to seed and feed the birds.
Maintenance & pruning: Deadhead to prolong bloom. Divide when clumps become overcrowded. Rudbeckias don't generally die out in the center and don't require frequent division.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.