A Real Winner

Here is a perennial that everyone should give a try. I brought this Rudbeckia maxima back from Oklahoma two years ago and didn't really expect it to perform very well in Florida's wet weather. This plant has performed way beyond any hopes I might have had. It has a basal rosette of powder blue leaves through the winter. Once the warm weather hits it shoots up flower stalks to heights over six feet tall. The shoots are topped off with tall coneflower-like blooms with yellow petals and a brown center. I am told that these flowers are great for cutting, but haven't tried this yet. The plant is propagated by division and stem cuttings. Plant yours at the back of a perennial garden in full sun in a well drained area. You may need to watch out for snails, as this is the only problem I have had. Plant one today and be prepared to be wowed!