S2.S RUDBECKIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



RUDBECKIA. 



and bears numerous rosy-pink blossoms), 

 the Cloud-berry, R. Chamccmoriis (also 

 -dwarf and with white blossoms), the Dew- 



Ijerry {R. Cceshis), and R. saxaiilis, are 

 pretty in partially-shaded spots in the 

 Tock-garden in moist peaty soil. 



RUDBECKIA {Cone/lower). — North 

 American Composites, with showy yellow 

 flower-heads, usually with a dark central 

 cone, making striking plants for the hardy 

 Isorder, flowering in late summer and 

 autumn. 



R. MAXIMA is a handsome plant 6 or 7 ft. 

 high, having flowers densely set with broad 

 golden rays produced in August and September. 

 The large glaucous oval and entire leaf at once 

 distinguishes it from others of the genus. A 

 native of the warmer States of America, it 

 thrives best in warm gardens and in hot sum- 

 mers, and from time to time it should be renewed 

 from imported seeds. 



R. PiNNATA grows 4 ft. or 5 ft. high, flower- 

 ing from July until hard frosts overpower it. 

 It is not a long-lived plant, getting too hard 

 and woody at the base to continue to break 

 well, so it is better to keep a few seedlings on 

 hand. Seed is abundantly produced and easily 

 raised. Plants flower in the second year, and 

 continue about five years more. Syn. Le- 

 pachys pinnata. 



R. CAi.iFORMCA is the largest in size of 

 flower and cone, the flower being often about 

 -6 ins. across, and the cone 2 ins. high ; leaves, 

 flower-stalks, and root are equally robust. The 

 flowers come early in July ; they have few and 

 horizontal rays, and are solitary on the stalks, 

 their size making up for their small number, 

 and the whole plant having a majestic appear- 

 ance, with its broad, plantain-like leaves. 

 It is better for frequent division, exhausting 

 the soil if left to itself for several years. 



R. LACi.MATA is the tallest of the cone 

 flowers, 7 to 10 ft. high. The leaves, as the 

 name implies, are unevenly divided into narrow 

 ribbons, or cut into larger lobes, different 



individuals varying much in leafage. The 

 flower is large, the rays curved downwards so 

 as nearly to touch the stalk, and the cone is 

 greenish. Plants live many years without 

 spreading much, but are easily divided, and 

 self-sown seedlings come up round if the seed 

 escapes the green linnets and chaffinches, which 

 delight to eat it. There is a garden variety 

 witJi large double yellow flowers, known popu- 

 larly as " Autumn Glow"; and angusiifolia, 

 with finely divided leaves and smaller single 

 flowers. 



R. NITIDA. — The general habit of this is 

 that of R. laciniata, but the leaves are less 

 incised than in any of that species ; the flowers, 

 though smaller in outline, are more regular and 

 plentiful, and have broader and more golden 

 rays. They begin to open when R. laciniata 

 is over, and continue into November. It is a 

 very handsome kind, vigorous and hardy, and 

 grows 6 ft. or more high in good soil. 



R. suBTOMENTOSA.— In this the flowers 

 show hardly any raised cone ; the disc is very 

 black, and the golden rays, about an inch long, 

 continue horizontal, so that it would hardly be 

 taken for a cone-flower. It grows 4ft. high, 

 flowering late and very freely. Division. 

 Young plants succeed best ; when old they are 

 apt, like R. pinnata, to get so hard at the base 

 that large limbs suddenly lose their vital union 

 with the root and wither before flowering. 



R. PURPUREA. — In this distinct cone-flower 

 the ray florets are of a reddish or rose-purple 

 hue, and the flowers are fully 4 ins. across. 

 When fully established the plants reach 3 to 4 

 ft. high, and are efiective on account of their 

 free-flowering and erect habit. The plant only 

 rarely produces seeds, and these are generally 

 slow to vegetate, so much so that it is best 

 rather to rely on careful division of the root to 

 ensure maintaining a stock. Other kinds 

 closely allied to this species are R. pallida, 

 R. angtistifolia, R. piopurea intermedia, a 

 fine form with branching habit, and R. p. 

 serotina. 



R. SPECIOSA is given the unauthorised name 

 of R. Newman7ti, though I never could dis- 

 cover why. It is so well known that I need 

 say little more than advise those who wish it 

 to succeed in hot and dry summers to dress the 

 surface with rich compost and to water it well, 

 or it withers prematurely. The garden form 

 speciosa conspicita comes into flower sooner, 

 and gives a longer season for cutting. R. 

 fulgida comes near speciosa, but with flowers 

 of an orange shade, and growing somewhat 

 taller. In dry hot soils of the south speciosa 

 does best in partial shade. 



R. HiRTA is said by Asa Gray to be " annual 

 or biennial," and it certainly requires frequent 

 renewal from seed. Two-year-old plants begin 

 to flower early in June, and continue gay 

 through summer. It is well to select the 

 largest and most golden flowers for seed. 

 This species always attracts notice in my gar- 

 den from the bright colour of the rays and the 

 good contrast of the black cone. 



Excepting R. niaxiina, I have, in a long 



