Lovely bright sunny daisy flowers that bring cheerful color to any garden. A native to North America Rudbeckia’s are also known as black eyed Susan’s and are a very diverse group. Gloriosa Daisy is a short annual plant with bright yellow flowers that bloom from early summer until late fall. The plants are tough, need little water once established and the deer don't seem to eat them. Great for sunny areas, borders or areas that you are not sure what to do with just yet. Provides abundant long lasting color when other plants are fading.
Description.
Considered as a biennial this plant is best grown as an annual since it flowers strongly in it's first year but can be very unreliable in it's second year. It has gray green lanceolate to ovate leaves up to 7" long and 2" across. These are covered in stiff hairs giving them a rough texture. These are arranged alternately on stiff upright stems covered in long white hairs The upper stems have no leaves but hold a single large bloom. The flower is daisy like with large yellow long thin petals arranged around a circular dark center. Grows up to two feet in height.
Care and position.
Likes a full sun location. Is happy in most types of soil and can easily grow on poor soil. Once established they are fairly drought tolerant and need little extra water or care. However if given some water and fertilizer will produce much stronger healthier plants with more blooms. In poor dry conditions they can become a little straggly towards the end of the season, but still continue to flower. Does not like poorly drained wet soils. Can be naturalized in meadow like areas or on banks. To ensure plant reseeds do not mow area until the seed heads have formed in late summer. Ripened seedheads turn gray in color. Grows easily from zones 3-11. Removing dead flower heads can increase the number of blooms. Makes an excellent container plant.
Propagation.
This plant is best grown from seed. It is a very easy plant to raise. Can be direct sown either in the fall or spring. Seed need to be stratified for at least three months before sowing. All our seed is stratified seed. If direct seeding it should be surface sown and raked in with about 1/4 inch of mulch. Water daily if no spring rains since seed needs moisture to germinate. Germination should take between 7-30 days depending on temperature and rainfall.
Sowing indoors make sure seed is only very lightly covered water to keep soil moist. Pot on and grow until plants are large enough to establish outside. Water in well until the plants are established. and will germinate within 5-10 days in spring.
Uses
The cut flowers look beautiful by themselves and brighten other floral arrangements.