Rudbeckia is a genus filled with colorful plants, consisting of roughly 25 different species, most of which are perennials, but there are biennial and annual species, too.
These fantastic flowers come from the sunflower plant family, Asteraceae, and can be found in forests and meadows across North America, as well as gardens all over the world.
Rudbeckia At A Glance
One of the brightest flowers which is sure to inject your garden with plenty of color is the rudbeckia.
You can recognize these flowers by their daisy-like form in warm shades of yellow, orange, and red, with individual cone florets forming a central eye.
The common names, coneflower and Black-eyed Susan, are interchangeable with plants from other genera, such as Echinacea (also known as the coneflower), and Thunbergia (also referred to as the Black-eyed Susan vine).
Rudbeckia Name Origin
Carolus Linnaeus named the genus after Olof Rudbeck the Younger, as well as his father, Olof Rudbeck the Elder, to honor them both.
Olof Rudbeck the Younger was a doctor of medicine and of nature, and Carl Linnaeus was his student.
Olof Rudbeck the Elder was a doctor of medicine as well as a naturalist, and he was famous for discovering the lymphatic system, and founded the first botanic garden in Sweden.
Rudbeckia Flower Symbolism
Rudbeckia flowers signify success, encouragement, strength of will, and motivation.
Rudbeckia Uses
Rudbeckia plants have had some historical medicinal applications, to alleviate dropsy, earaches, and to heal cuts and bruises faster.
Rudbeckia Growing Requirements
Rudbeckia plants are hardy in USDA zones 3 through to 9, and bloom throughout summer and fall.
They may reach between 1 and 4 feet tall, depending on the variety, and will slowly spread.
Rudbeckia plants love well-draining soil, and while they are not picky about the pH, it should be consistently damp.
These plants do best in full sunlight, and only need an average amount of water.
