Rudbeckia nitida Herbstsonne

Rudbeckia nitida 'Herbstsonne', also known as autumn perennial sun, is a giant of the genus. It is a tall plant with an upright habit, and has a spectacular long-lasting flowering from early to late summer. It offers large trailing suns with a nonchalant elegance, gracefully inclined towards the ground, golden yellow with a slightly prominent green heart. This very hardy plant requires a cool to moist, deep and well-drained soil. Its tall stems are rigid and do not require staking, except in windy conditions.

Rudbeckia Nitida 'Herbstsonne' belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is a cultivar of Rudbeckia Nitida or Rudbeckia Laciniata, but some specialists claim that it is actually a hybrid between the two species. Regardless, its origins are found in North America. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant with an upright habit, developing mostly unbranched stems, reaching a minimum height of 1.50m (5ft) to 2m (7ft), with a spread of 80cm (32in). The deciduous foliage is composed of lobed, smooth, light green, glaucous and slightly incised leaves. The flowering takes place from July to September, without interruption. The flowers are large, trailing and can reach 10cm (4in) in width, conical, of a magnificent golden yellow with a prominent green then brown heart. This plant spreads slowly by rhizomes and can eventually form large colonies.

Rudbeckias attract all eyes; they mark the landscape with their golden yellow petals surrounding an almost always prominent and black heart, in a striking contrast. Both an architectural plant and an accent plant, Rudbeckia 'Herbstsonne' quickly structures your flower beds thanks to its slender and sturdy habit, while offering an ornamental interest that is out of the ordinary. Its strong presence requires it to be associated, at the back of the flower bed, with the deep blue of tall delphiniums, or the bright red of salvias, with short-lived flowering plants, such as evening primroses (oenothera versicolor Sunset Boulevard), tall thistles (Milk Thistle, Globe Artichoke, Blessed Thistle), inulas. This plant is well suited to a country garden, and appreciates the edge of water features. Its extraordinary flowers will be highlighted by those of cat-tails, and the graphic design of tall miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis Yaku-jima, Miscanthus sinensis Silberspinne, Miscanthus transmorrisonensis).