Since 1990 , thePerennial Plant Association , a chemical group of professional repeated agriculturalist , designer , retailers and pedagogue , has promoted a “ flora of the Year . ” These plants are take because they are low - sustainment , have multiple seasons of decorative pastime , are suitable for a wide-cut mountain chain of climatic conditions , and are comparatively pest- and disease - free .
In 1999 , the association choseRudbeckia fulgida‘Goldsturm’as Plant of the Year , and this German - bred germ breed became one of the most popular and wide grow perennials in northern garden . I ’d order a bet that at least 90 percent ofNorthern Gardenerreaders have this democratic variety in their gardens .
Unfortunately , over the years , a disease calledseptoria leaf spothas attacked ‘ Goldsturm ’ , and it has become a problem not only in gardens but at the nurseries that produce this miscellanea . One other picayune problem that has tease me the last few years is that ‘ Goldsturm ’ is a heavy cloud seeder ; you may spend plenty of meter weed out the seedling that have germinated in your garden beds .
Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.
A Better Rudbeckia
Just in time , Chicago - area breeder Brent Horvath , fromIntrinsic Perennials , has bred and present a newRudbeckiacultivar called‘American Gold Rush ’ . You may look at the photograph and question what ’s different .
First and foremost , this cultivar has excellent resistance to septoria leaf spot . That one point should actuate you to remove all of your ‘ Goldsturm ’ and move to this disease - free miscellany .
But it is a endearing plant as well . It is an interspecies crown of thorns and you may notice the leafage is different from ‘ Goldsturm ’ . It is longer , thinner and hairier , which helps keep the disease off of the flora . Overall , it is a slenderly more compact variety , reaching a matured elevation in the range of 22 to 26 inches . It will spread in the end to 24 to 36 inches , although some East Coast gardener are meet it unfold to almost 40 inches in width . It has a very prissy rounded , neat habit .
Black - eyed Susan has always been a linchpin of the late summer and autumn garden for its colorful gold leaf with dark eyes . It will start to flower in late July and will be in color through September . It is neat in combination withRussian sage(Perovskia ) , fall aster and ornamental grasses . Those flower will draw in all sorts of pollinator into your garden , including bees , butterfly stroke and songster .
industrial plant ‘ American Gold Rush ’ in full - sun garden with well - drained filth . Once institute , it will easily handle drought . If you take the fourth dimension to deadhead the early flower , you may extend the blossoming season well into October . This plant is vegetatively propagated and has a letters patent , so propagation is prohibited . While name as hardy to only USDA Zone 4 , I suspect that is just because it has not been thoroughly tested for winter hardiness in zone 3 . Those of you in the North may desire to give this one a endeavor .
This article by Plant to Pick columnist Debbie Lonnee appeared in the July / August 2019 event ofNorthern Gardener . Horticulturist Debbie Lonnee work in the horticulture industry and garden in South St. Paul .
