Growing Guide
 
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Gloriosa Daisy

Annual Flower

Also known as Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia, Orange Coneflower
Rudbeckia hirta
Asteraceae Family

A prairie native, Gloriosa Daisy dazzles with vivid flowers in combinations of red, yellow and orange shades offset by dark brown centers. Great for cut flowers. Prefers cool weather.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun
  • part shade

Soil conditions:

  • tolerates droughty soil
  • requires well-drained soil
  • tolerates low fertility
Prefers rich, moist but well-drained soil.
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 1 to 3 feet

Some dwarfs grow less than 1 foot.

Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet

Bloom time:

  • late summer
  • early fall
  • mid-fall

Flower color:

  • red
  • orange
  • yellow
  • other

Depending on variety, flowers are various combinations of these colors with brown to maroon centers.

Foliage color: medium green

Foliage texture: medium

Shape: upright

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

Special Considerations
Tolerates:
  • frost
Special characteristics:
  • aggressive - Self-seeds readily.
  • non-invasive
  • native to North America - Central U.S. prairies.
  • bears ornamental fruit - Flowerheads often persist into the winter, and provide some winter interest in the garden.
Special uses:
  • cut flowers
  • direct-seeding
  • wildflowers
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed - Sow seeds outdoors in spring, or indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. The seeds require light for germination. If the flowerheads are allowed to remain, the plant will self-seed and new plants will grow the next season.

Germination temperature: 70 F to 75 F

Days to emergence: 7 to 10

Maintenance and care:
Deadhead to prolong blooming and reduce self-seeding.

More growing information: How to Grow Annuals

Varieties
When choosing varieties, look for single and double flowers, color variations, and height differences.

�Irish Eyes�: creamy yellow petals on flowers with vivid green centers.

�Becky Mixed�: dwarf (8 to 10� tall) plants with yellow or orange or bicolor flowers with dark brown centers. Blooms midsummer to frost.

�Chim Chinese�: unusual for its quilled flower petals in rustic shades of yellow, red and orange with dark brown centers. Blooms late summer to frost.

�Goldilocks�: golden orange-yellow zinnia-like flowers with several tiers of petals are fluffy and dense looking, nearly obscuring the dark brown centers.

�Rustic Dwarfs Mixed�: dwarfs plants (only 2� tall) with full sized, showy flowers in shades of red, orange and yellow with prominent dark brown centers. Tolerates wet weather.