Descriptions and characteristics of 35 varieties and species of rudbeckia
Rudbeckia is an unpretentious crop, the varieties of which differ in stem height, inflorescence diameter, petal color. It grows in height up to 30, and sometimes up to 150 centimeters. Most often in flower beds there are bright yellow flowers with a brown center, located at the top of long, erect, branched stems. Rudbeckia blooms from June to the first autumn frosts.
Description of the main plant varieties
Rudbeckia is native to North America. There are 40 species of this plant. May be an annual, biennial, perennial. Many types of rudbeckia are cultivated as ornamental. The plant got its name from the surname of the Swedish botanist, teacher of Carl Linnaeus - Olof Rudbek, who opened this culture to the world.
Terry or hairy
Herbaceous plant up to 1 meter high. This rudbeckia has thin, pubescent, straight, branching stems. The leaves are arranged alternately, they are elongated, lanceolate, with a sharp tip. The inflorescence is a large basket, consisting of 8-16 yellow pseudo-reed flowers and numerous brown-violet tubular flowers in the middle. The fruit is achene.
Most of the decorative undersized varieties (Toto Rustic, Indian Summer, Goldflamme) were obtained from this species. Such rudbeckia lives no more than two years, and propagates by seeds.
Beautiful (beautiful)
Herbaceous perennial up to 0.50-0.60 meters high. The stem is powerful, straight, with oblong, unevenly toothed leaves along the edges. Inflorescences - baskets up to 10 centimeters in diameter. The inflorescence consists of dark brown tubular and orange, lingual, tridentate along the edges of the petals, flowers. It blooms for 60 days, starting in July. After 3-4 years, this perennial loses its decorative properties or dies.
Shiny
Herbaceous perennial up to 0.60-0.70 meters long. This culture is also called radiant rudbeckia. She has straight thin shoots and lanceolate, dark green leaves with a sharp nose. The size of the inflorescence-basket is 9-10 centimeters. It consists of dark tubular and orange or yellowish reed flowers. Flowering lasts 45 days, starting in July. Rudbeckia looks like a chamomile with golden, sparse, long petals.
Dissected
Herbaceous perennial 0.7-2 meters high. The root is fibrous, the stem is straight and branched, with petioled leaves. The upper leaves are divided into 3 lobes, the lower ones are pinnate. Inflorescences-baskets are bright yellow, terry, like a ball. Each consists of light yellow tubular and golden yellow reed flowers. The diameter of the inflorescence is 7-10 centimeters. The most popular variety is the Golden Ball.
Dwarf varieties
A low-growing variety, up to 0.35 meters high. It has erect, thin shoots, lanceolate leaves. Inflorescences-baskets consist of reed and tubular flowers. The petals can be orange, yellow, scarlet.
Hybrid
A hybrid obtained from the base of a hairy, dissected and glossy rudbeckia. Dense, strong, strongly branched pubescent shoot reaches a length of 1.2 meters. The leaves are pubescent, oval, located on the petioles below, and sessile at the top. Inflorescences-baskets with a diameter of 20-25 centimeters, consist of marginal (orange-brown) ligulate and middle (purple-brown) tubular, tiny flowers.
Western
Herbaceous perennial up to 1.5 meters high. A distinctive feature of this variety is inflorescences devoid of reed flowers. Rudbeckia has a cone-like or cone-like inflorescence consisting of many tubular, dark purple flowers with a yellowish tip. This cone is surrounded by green long bracts. The most famous variety of western rudbeckia is Black Beauty.
Giant
Perennial 1.2-1.5 meters high. Stems - erect, strong and pubescent, leaves - large, gray-green, lanceolate, alternate. The inflorescence-basket with a diameter of 16-19 centimeters consists of marginal bright yellow ligulate and middle tubular flowers that form an oblong coffee-colored cone.
Embracing
The pubescent, dense stem of this rudbeckia reaches a length of 0.80 meters. The leaves are placed opposite, they are glabrous, sessile, oblong. Inflorescences-baskets have ligulate bright yellow and middle tubular (dark brown) flowers, sitting on a towering receptacle (up to 3 centimeters high). From a distance, you can see that the petals of this rudbeckia bend down and, as it were, clasp the stem.
The most popular perennial varieties
Ornamental varieties of rudbeckia were obtained on the basis of wild-growing species. There are more than 200 varieties. Flowers are grown to decorate flower beds, mixborders and create flower arrangements. Perennials need to be updated every 5 years.
Purple
Echinacea-like rudbeckia. Powerful shoots of this perennial reach a length of 1 meter. Inflorescences-baskets with a diameter of 8-10 centimeters consist of ligulate, lilac and brownish-yellow middle tubular flowers. This culture has oblong, pointed at the end, greenish, pubescent leaves. Rudbeckia should not be confused with echinacea. Even the purple variety has no healing properties.
Golden ball
Herbaceous perennial up to 2 meters high. Obtained on the basis of dissected rudbeckia. Terry inflorescences-baskets with a diameter of 8-10 centimeters consist of green tubular and bright yellow reed flowers. It blooms from July until the first frost. The tall bush is abundantly crowned with large golden balls. The plant has brittle stems that need support.
Cappuccino
Rudbeckia up to 0.40 meters long. Often used to decorate a flower garden or planted near a curb. The inflorescence-basket consists of extreme coffee-yellow reeds and middle tubular red-coffee numerous flowers. The size of the inflorescence is 8 centimeters. Stems and leaves are covered with light hairs.
Marmalade
Rudbeckia with densely pubescent erect stems and oblong alternate greenish leaves.The inflorescence has a maroon, like a shiny gummy candy, center, from which a large number of bright yellow petals diverge. The flowering of this variety is long, ends with the first autumn frosts. It is used for decorating mixborders and for cutting. Can grow in direct sunlight and shade.
Moreno
Perennial with erect and pubescent stem. This culture is also called hairy rudbeckia. Leaves are lanceolate, gray-green. Inflorescences-baskets consist of dark tubular flowers and brownish-orange (almost red) ligulate. The variety thrives on the flowerbed and in the container on the balcony.
Amber
Perennial 0.50-0.60 meters high with erect pubescent stem and lanceolate leaves. From a distance, rudbeckia flowers look like amber drops. The inflorescence-basket consists of golden-brown lingual and median (brownish-burgundy) tubular flowers located on a slightly convex receptacle. The diameter of the basket is 8-10 centimeters.
An unpretentious variety, tolerates prolonged drought and a sharp drop in temperature well. However, it blooms only until the first October frosts.
Green Wizard or Witch
A variety of perennial rudbeckia. It grows up to 1.50 meters in length. The inflorescence has no ligulate flowers, it looks like a cone, surrounded by long greenish bracts. The height of such a pyramid is 5 centimeters. The cone is brownish in color. This variety has long, straight, large stems and oblong leaves pointed at the end.
Three-bladed
Perennial up to 1 meter high. It has straight, highly branched stems, covered with the smallest villi. Inflorescences-baskets are small, up to 4 centimeters in diameter. The flowers are yellow-orange, with a small brown center.
Mocha
Tetraploid variety of low height. The inflorescence is large, up to 20 centimeters in diameter. The color of the wide petals is mixed, orange-burgundy. The middle is small, slightly convex, brown. Leaves are medium-sized, greenish, pubescent, lanceolate in shape, with jagged edges.
Mizou
Perennial with large yellow flowers. The inflorescence-basket consists of golden-yellow reed flowers and dark tubular flowers. Shoots are straight, long, pubescent. Leaves are greenish, elongated, with a sharp tip.
Cherry brandy
Rudbeckia with deep red ligulate extreme flowers and a maroon center. The diameter of the inflorescence is 3-4 centimeters. Shoots - erect, well leafy, up to 0.50 meters high. The leaves are large, oblong, with jagged edges and a sharp tip.
Hirta
The flowers of this perennial resemble marigolds. The inflorescence-basket consists of orange-red multi-tiered reed and inner, brown tubular flowers. Stems are straight, leaves are greenish, pubescent, lanceolate, with a sharp tip.
Red umbrella
Perennial with pale red large flowers. The inflorescence-basket consists of ligulate extreme and median tubular (maroon) flowers. The petals drop down slightly, making the rudbeckia look like a red umbrella.
Yellow
Perennial with erect, branched pubescent stems and oblong leaves. The inflorescence-basket has extreme golden-yellow petals, and in the middle there are greenish-brown tubular flowers.
Toto Gold
Dwarf culture up to 30 centimeters high. Has simple sunny inflorescences with a diameter of 5-7 centimeters. The stem is thin, erect, the leaves are greenish, lanceolate.
Magenta pink
Perennial up to 1 meter long. It has delicate lilac flowers with a very large brown core. The diameter of the inflorescence is 8-10 centimeters. Rudbeckia looks like lilac daisies on long, sturdy stems.
Terry cap
Perennial up to 1.2 meters long.It has a very interesting inflorescence with a "terry cap". The diameter of the basket is 10-12 centimeters. Pink ligulate flowers encircle the median tubular ones. At the top of the raised brown center are pink petals. The culture has thick, long, pubescent stems and oblong leaves. Blooms from July to the first autumn frosts.
Glossy
Rudbeckia up to 2 meters high. An upright bush has oblong, pubescent leaves with a clearly visible central light vein. Inflorescences-baskets with a diameter of up to 12 centimeters consist of middle greenish tubular and bright yellow reed (extreme) flowers. The yellowish petals are wide, have two longitudinal stripes, and in the middle of the inflorescence there is a small light green tubercle.
Red
This perennial has large flowers with red petals and a brown center. Shoot - erect, thin, long. Leaves are greenish, pubescent, lanceolate with a sharp end.
Golden ray
The flowers of this perennial have yellow, sun-like petals radiating from the center. The middle of the inflorescence is small, brown. The stem is long, straight, the leaves are slightly elongated, greenish.
Purple
This rudbeckia is often called echinacea. She has large purple flowers with a burgundy-brown center. Inflorescences are at the top of straight, thin, long shoots. The diameter of the basket is 8-10 centimeters. Leaves are lanceolate, greenish, with a sharp tip. This perennial is often planted next to the golden yellow rudbeckia.
The best varieties of annuals
The annual rudbeckia is grown from seeds that need to be sown for seedlings in March to get flowers in June. But such plants bloom until the first autumn frosts, and then die.
Mayan
A compact bush (35-45 centimeters high) is strewn with large, densely double flowers. The diameter of the inflorescence-basket is 9-12 centimeters. The color of the petals is deep yellow. The flowers resemble a ball, inside which you can see a small brown center.
Gloriosa
Annual with large yellow-burgundy flowers. The middle is shiny, slightly convex, burgundy-brown. Stems are straight, powerful, leaves are oblong, small, greenish, densely pubescent.
Hybrid
A bright annual plant on an erect, pubescent stem. It resembles a chamomile. True, the petals are colored coffee-red, and at the ends they are yellow. The middle is burgundy-brown, slightly convex.
Moreno
The variety is obtained on the basis of hairy rudbeckia. Annual up to 0.75 meters high. The inflorescence-basket has central (burgundy) tubular and middle (red-brown with a yellow edge) ligulate flowers. The inflorescences of this annual are simple and also terry.
Toto Rustic
Annual derived from hairy rudbeckia. The height of this culture is 30-40 centimeters. The inflorescences-baskets look like a flash of flame: along the edges there are red-yellow petals, and the middle of the flower is brown. It is used to decorate a flower garden, mixborder, in group compositions, next to plants with contrasting colors. Rudbeckia is often planted along the fence, near the house, near the curb.
