The only thing "rude" about the new Rudbeckias is that they might not come back.
With all the breeding going on in coneflowers (Echinancias) these days, it's easy to overlook the black-eyed Susans. There are, however, spectacular new varieties of this great fall performer that are so attractive, they'll give any coneflower a run for the money when it comes to putting on a glorious autumn display.
Most of the showiest new varieties feature big, colorful, 4-inch-or-larger double blooms that just keep pumping out flowers until frost. Some of my favorites include 'Cherokee Sunset,' featuring up to 4 ½-inch flowers in blends of yellow, orange, dark red and bronze; 'Cherry Brandy,' sporting cherry-red flowers with dark centers; 'Denver Daisy,' decorated with 4-inch bright-yellow flowers with bright red centers; and 'Indian summer,' with huge bright yellow blooms centered in dark brown that closely resemble sunflowers.
These showy new hybrids are drought-resistant once established, pest-free and require only a sunny spot to thrive. Unfortunately, there is one weakness: They are short-lived. The good news is that most of them reseed, and if you are careful to avoid weeding out the hairy bluish seedlings, you could easily have them forever.
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