'Kelvedon Star' Rudbeckia Seeds

Magnificent golden petals are each patterned with a deep brown brushstroke, creating a star on every 4-inch bloom. These long-stemmed flowers make great cuts, but also attract pollinators and stand up to heat, drought, salt spray, and poor soil. And the best part? They bloom the first year form a late-winter indoor sowing.

Bred from the native Rudbeckia hirta species 'Kelvedon Star' is a bicolor black-eyed Susan with masses and masses of 4-inch blooms. The outstretched petals are deep, rich golden, each marked with a stroke of brown near the base. Seen together, these markings create a perfect star on every flower.

Stunning in cut flower bouquets, 'Kelvedon Star' Rudbeckia is also a huge draw in the garden, where butterflies and bees visit in summer, songbirds in fall (as the seeds dry in the large central brown cone).

'Kelvedon Star' Rudbeckia reaches up to 3 feet high in full bloom, and spreads about 18 inches wide. The blooms begin in midsummer and continue steadily through fall. You won't believe how productive this biennial is.

Best in average to dry soil, 'Kelvedon Star' Rudbeckia is quite tolerant of drought after its first season of growth. Insects and other pests (including nibbling rabbits and deer) tend to leave it alone, and its native vigor ensures that it can withstand tough environmental conditions. This is a plant to put front and center in the cutting garden, use as a ribbon of color through the sunny to lightly shaded garden, and perhaps even pot up. Grow it as a biennial or short-lived perennial.