Rudbeckia hirta Gloriosa Daisy

The Rudbeckia 'Gloriosa Daisy', derived from Rudbeckia x hirta, offers a beautiful golden yellow flower with a brown centre and an almost black heart, with elongated and trailing petals. Graceful, it blooms on a fairly tall plant throughout the summer until the first frost. This Rudbeckia makes a big impact in borders, flower beds, and flower pots. Indifferent to heat and poor soils, these short-lived perennial plants also flower well in sunny or semi-shaded locations.

Cultivars of Rudbeckia x hirta are derived, among others, from Rudbeckia hirta, a robust wild plant of the Asteraceae family, native to the prairies of North America. It is a short-lived perennial plant, most often cultivated annually or biennially. In fact, it will not last more than 2 to 3 years in the garden, but it self-seeds quite easily. Gloriosa Daisy, shorter than its ancestor, reaches a height of 80 cm (32in) and spreads about 50 cm (20in). The inflorescences of this Rudbeckia are large 'daisies', actually solitary head inflorescences, with a diameter of 7 to 10 cm (3 to 4in), centred on a prominent dark brown cone. Many flowers succeed each other from July to October on the plants, forming an impressive multicoloured mass. At the end of summer, the petals fade and fall, while the heart of the flowers dries up and becomes withered. The flowers can then be picked and incorporated into a dried bouquet. The foliage consists of a tuft of lanceolate, dentate, dark green basal leaves, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4in) long, from which sturdy and ramified floral stems rise. The stems bear cauline leaves, which are narrower and rather ovate.

The Rudbeckia 'Gloriosa Daisy' thrives in perennial beds, borders, and large flower pots. It can be combined with other varieties or associated with inulas, asters, achilleas, daisies, and echinops. You can also lighten the scene by mixing in some ornamental grasses such as Stipa tenuifolia and Muhlenbergia capillaris. Splendid in flower beds, its rich hues are also beautiful in fresh or dried flower bouquets. Hardy, Rudbeckia hirta likes sunny or semi-shaded locations, but is not picky about the soil; it is a particularly heat-resistant plant and tolerant of dry and poor soils.

An ecological asset: Throughout the summer, the nectar-rich flowers of rudbeckias attract pollinating insects and butterflies. A good way to improve your garden's ecosystem and promote fruit and vegetable production in your garden. In autumn, you can admire the incessant ballet of birds that come to feed on the mature seeds they find in the hearts of the dried flowers.