Rudbeckia laciniata 'Autumn Sun'

Prefers average, medium to moist soils in part to full sun. Tolerates hot, humid summers, but not drought tolerant. Spreads by rhizomes, so give it room to grow. Outstanding in mass plantings, as a back-of-the-border perennial and in meadow, prairie and cutting gardens.

This long-blooming butterfly, especially the Monarch butterfly, magnet has large, glossy, deep green, deeply cut leaves along the stems and loose clusters of clear yellow ray flowers with large green cones that darken with age. Rudbeckia lacinata ‘Autumn Sun’ blooms for 8+ weeks in mid to late summer and is lovely in the back of the border. Also known as ‘Herbstsone’, this Rudbeckia grows 4-7’ tall with large 3-4” daisy-like flowers. While ‘Autumn Sun’ shares its parents rhizomatous roots, it is more manageable in the garden.

Rudbeckia lacinata can be found blooming in moist meadows, grassy roadsides and flood plains from Quebec to Montana south to Arizona and Florida. It prefers average to moist soils in light shade to full sun. In areas with adequate moisture, R. lacinata spreads readily by rhizome and can blanket an entire area. It is best to give cutleaf coneflower enough room to grow in those situations and not planted too closely to less vigorous perennials or woody plants. In areas with rich soil and lots of moisture, the plant may also require staking.

The Rudbeckia lacinata on the property runs along a ravine, in the dappled shade of three deciduous trees. It has colonized the area, providing erosion control, habitat and feeds pollinators. The flowers support many different kinds of insects including multiple varieties of bees, wasps, butterflies, skippers, and flies with the Common Goldfinch enjoying the small seeds in winter. In late summer, when the mass begins to bloom, it provides bright color and is especially wonderful in mass plantings, as a back-of-the-border perennial and in a meadow, prairie or cutting gardens.