Rudbeckia Irish Eyes
Rudbeckia hirta
Perennial, short-lived, USDA zones 4 - 9; often treated as an annual. You might think there is nothing more cheerful than a sunflower, but once you have grown the sunny Irish Eyes rudbeckia, you will wonder how you ever lived without it in your garden! These perky yellow flowers with lime green centers will make you smile on even the gloomiest day. Excellent in containers, butterfly gardens, paired with ornamental grasses, and used as a cut flower.
Full sun. Blooms summer to early fall.
Height: 1 ½' - 3' tall
Days to Emerge: 10 - 15 days
Seed Depth: 1/8"
Seed Spacing: A group of 4 seeds every 1' - 2'
Thinning: When 1" - 2" tall, thin to 1 every 1' - 2'
When to sow outside: 2 to 4 weeks before average last frost, and as late as 2 months before first fall frost.
When to start inside: 6 to 8 weeks before average last frost. If started inside early enough, may bloom the first year.
Artist: Carolyn Crawford