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The First Rudbeckia to Bloom

‘Tiger Eye’ has shorter, fatter petals than your average black-eyed Susan
Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken
‘Moreno’ features strikingly dark flowers
Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken
‘Tiger Eye’ has shorter, fatter petals than your average black-eyed Susan
Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken
‘Moreno’ features strikingly dark flowers
Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

I should have had an office pool or something where people could have guessed which of my black-eyed Susans would bloom first. ‘Tiger Eye’ opened its buds first, followed about five days later by ‘Moreno.’ All of the R. hirta varieties I have planted in the front of my house are loaded with blooms, but the ones in back are not. More sun must be the reason, although I can’t rule out better soil in front. The plants in the back of my house are located amid the roots of a recently removed sugar maple.

The next week or so promises an explosion of flowers, so I will be posting more photos.

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  1. The_Write_Gardener 06/18/2010

    "The Rudbeckia Project" sounds so intriguing. What else will The Project entail?

  2. SteveA 06/22/2010

    The project will entail pretty much anything I can think of. I see it as an ongoing thing. This year is heavy on R. hirta cultivars & generally taking a closer look at this plant. I've never really gotten into one plant before, so it sounds like fun to me.

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