‘America Gold Rush’ Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia x ‘American Gold Rush’
Common name: Also called Brown-eyed Susan
Size: Height 1.5-2 ft. with equal spread
Outstanding characteristics: Compact habit, long
bloom period, disease-free foliage
Bloom color & period: Yellow-gold flowers
Julyto September
Growing conditions: Sun to light shade; average
to lean, well-drained soil
Zones: 4-9
During the pandemic I watched a lot of webinars and Zoom programs. One of the best was a presentation by Richard Hawke, plant evaluation manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden, in which he discussed the results of dozens of perennial plant trials conducted over several years. Nineteen of the 38 perennials he recommended were natives, and all of those were cultivars except for four.
Though I love and appreciate the native species I’ve gardened with since the late 1970s, I’m always on the lookout for cultivars that are better garden plants -- disease-free, sturdy and compact so they don’t need staking, longer blooming, more drought tolerant, and easy to grow. One of the natives Hawke recommended was Rudbeckia ‘American Gold Rush’, citing its long blooming period of familiar yellow daisy-like flowers with dark centers, and its resistance to Septoria, a fungal disease.
This was the first time I’d heard of this disease. I’d been growing the Black-eyed Susan species Rudbeckia fulgida and its cultivar ‘Goldsturm’ (R. fulgida var. sullivantii) for several years. ‘Goldsturm’ forms 2-2.5’ strong, upright clumps that start blooming in early summer and continue for several weeks. However, its foliage would often turn brown as summer wore on. I was relieved to learn from Richard Hawke that this was caused by Septoria and not because I didn’t water it enough. I rushed right out and bought two ‘American Gold Rush’ plants. At that time, it was considered a cultivar of R. fulgida, which is why I include information about that species in this article, but now it’s listed as a naturally occurring hybrid of several Midwest-native species.
In my garden, ‘American Gold Rush’, (coincidentally, this year’s Perennial Plant of the Year), has lived up to its reputation. It starts blooming in mid-July and is just now winding down. Narrow, hairy leaves are disease-free, and clumps of basal foliage make a nice groundcover through the growing season. Because they’re growing in too much shade and in soil that may be too rich, they haven’t grown as upright as I would like, so I plan to move them to a more suitable location.
Garden companions: The blue flowers of asters (aka Symphyotrichum) including A. cordifolius ‘Avondale’ with dense clusters of tiny blue flowers, and A. laevis ‘Bluebird’ with larger blue flowers, and purple-flowered A. novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’ and newer ‘Grape Crush’ are pretty companions. Blue-stemmed or wreath goldenrod (Solidago caesia) adds more yellow to the mix, but its arching stems loaded with tiny flowers are a nice foliage contrast. Native grasses can be used in areas with enough sun.
Other cultivars: Additional recent introductions include ‘Glitters Like Gold’ with 3” wide golden blooms, ‘Sweet as Honey’ with yellow flowers, and ‘Green Eyed Lady’ with yellow flowers and green centers. All were developed by Brent Horvath for Intrensic Perennial Gardens, a wholesale nursery located in Hebron, Illinois. All are natural hybrids (note the x in the scientific name) of several Midwest-native species; all are resistant to Septoria; and all are excellent, long-lasting cut flowers.
Maintenance, pests: ‘American Gold Rush’ is naturally compact, so it doesn’t need to be cut back earlier in the season. Deadheading (removing spent blossoms) will encourage reblooming.
Plants, along with other species and cultivars, are deer resistant.
Propagation: Rudbeckia fulgida is a prolific self-seeder in my garden. In a more controlled method, seed will germinate after a cold period. Cultivars may not come true from seed so are best propagated by cuttings. Mature clumps can be divided in early spring.
Value to wildlife: According to the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Planting for Wildlife inNorthern Virginia, Black-eyed Susans are host plants for 20 butterfly and moth species and a nectar source for butterflies, moths, bees, predatory wasps and flies. Since it is a natural hybrid of native species, ‘American Gold Rush’ should be equally wildlife friendly.
Native habitat: Rudbeckia fulgida grows naturally in woodlands and meadows from New Jersey to Missouri, south to Mississippi and east to Florida. In Virginia, it grows in most eastern and central counties (including Prince William) and a few scattered western ones. Other species native to Northern Virginia include R. hirta, the annual roadside plant; R. laciniata, the 3-6’ green-headed coneflower; and R. triloba, similar to R. fulgida but with broader petals.
Photo courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden
Centennial Garden Club
Nancy Arrington
October 12, 2023
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