Rudbeckia 'Herbstsonne' or Autumn Sun Coneflower is a tough, well-behaved native that will help transform your summer garden into a paradise for pollinators.

• Easy to grow
• Very showy bright yellow flowers
• Loved by butterflies and bees

Details

• 5 to 7 ft. tall
• 3 to 4 ft. wide with a clump-forming habit
• Robust and perennial with attractive cut-leaf foliage
• Hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9

Flowering period

In central North Carolina, flowering starts in July and continues for four to six weeks.

How to grow

Very adaptable. Autumn Sun Coneflower prefers moist soil, but will grow in a variety of soil types, including clay, and can tolerate periodic drought and flooding. Plants will be more compact when grown in the sun, but they produce plenty of blooms in part sun. The flowering stems are surprisingly sturdy and usually only require staking during wet growing seasons or if planted in overly fertile soil.

Care and maintenance

 Cut the old stems back to the ground in late winter after the birds have eaten the seeds.

Where to plant

At the back of borders where it will create a dense mound of lush leaves that fill space and suppress weeds.

When to plant

It can be planted anytime the ground is not frozen. If planting in summer, keep plants well-watered until they get established.

Spacing

When planting in a group, space plants about 4 ft. apart.

When will my plant flower?

Plants purchased and planted before May will flower their first year if placed in a well-prepared site and kept watered.

Source and origin

Plants are grown from division here at the nursery.

Comments

Herbstsonne translated from German means Autumn Sun which is likely in reference to when it blooms in Europe. The Royal Horticultural Society bestowed Rudbeckia laciniata 'Herbstsonne' with its Award of Garden Merit in 2002.