Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm'

It's nothing to strum about a storm! Not a guitar. A golden storm of Black-eyed Susan blooms!

Rudbeckia is an honor to grow. Linnaeus, who named so many of our plants, had a teacher named Olaf Rudbeck. As Linnaeus was finding this native golden blooming prairie plant, something sparked him to name this genus Rudbeckia, in honor of his teacher. No doubt it was because of the beauty, depth, and diversity of the genus.

Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' was found in 1937 by Heinrich Hagemann, at Gebrueder Schuetz's Nursery in the Czech Republic. Traveling the Atlantic to Europe, through two World Wars, it has stood the test of time. 'Goldsturm' was named the Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association in 1999. This Rudbeckia came to the U.S. in 1949, and was named 'Goldsturm', meaning gold storm in German. For decades now, it's hands down one of the most used massed planting perennials.

The facts are:

2' tall with an 18" spread that blooms in full sun, June through September in Zones 4-9.
It can take some dry soil, and is not too finicky about the soil quality. However, evenly moist by mulching is the best for their roots. It's used from Alabama to Canada, and the Atlantic to the Mid-West. Since it's grandparents are native here, it does well in meadows.

Goldsturm is a great pot plant, used to give summer color and additional winter interest to mixed containers and mixed perennial plantings. The foliage gives a dark green, bold texture, and provides a back drop for the golden storm of blooms through the summer. Mixed, mass, or stand alone, one plant next to the mailbox will brighten up the mail deliverer's day. As winter comes, the spent flowers add interest and brown buttons to dried arrangements. It looks real nice with Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' and Perovskia atriplicifolia. Karl's tan to brown flowers, and Perovskia's azure blue flowers provide nice contrast to the Goldsturm's golden storm.