Rudbeckia 'Prairie Sun'
Rudbeckia hirta
An unusual rudbeckia color, Prairie Sun is perfect for summer bouquets. I love it here, paired with cosmos, snapdragons, and zinnias.
Rudbeckia is a cottage garden staple and a popular, reliable cut flower. They work especially well in wildflower designs, adding a touch of whimsy. Loved by pollinators, these plant friends are often included in wildflower prairie mixes, where they help support local ecosystems and attract bees, butterflies, and birds.
Packet contains approximately 50 seeds.
DETAILS
Plant type: Annual/Tender perennial
Days to maturity: 90–105 days
Light preference: Full sun
Plant spacing: 12 inches
Plant height: 28–32 inches
Hybrid status: Open pollinated
SOWING
Depth: Barely cover (light aides germination)
Days to germination: 8–14 days at 68–72°F
How to Grow
Sow indoors 5–7 weeks before transplanting out after all danger of frost. Cover lightly as light aides germination, but a fine dusting of vermiculite helps with moisture. Bottom water or mist. Pinching not necessary.
Rudbeckia is a long-day flowering species, meaning flowering and stem elongation is highly sensitive to day length. Rudbeckias require 12 hours of daylight to initiate flowering, so they will flower in the summer. While plants may bloom into the fall, they'll be on shortened stems with reduced quality.
Harvest & Vase Life
Harvest when the outer ring of ray florets is open. Considered a "dirty flower," rudbeckia will turn water murky and benefit from a slow-release chlorine tablet (or drop of bleach) in vase water.
Expected vase life: 7–10 days.
SHIPPING
FREE: $100 or more on any seeds
$3.95: 1–9 seed packets
$7.95: 10+ seed packets
