Re: Rudbekia hirta

In a message dated 99-08-02 12:24:39 EDT, Lynn writes:

<<  Do any know if rudbekia hirta INDIAN SUMMER is an annual or a perennial?
 I have seen it listed as both in separate catalogs.<<

Good question!  I researched this myself a few years ago when mine, sold to 
me as a perennial, only lasted one glorious season and did not return after a 
mild winter.  Not only do seperate catalogs list it differently, even 
perennial plant experts are not in agreement.  Allan Armitage lists it as an 
annual, but, as Lynn said, he reports it reseeds itself in his Georgia 
garden.  (Since 'Indian Summer' is a cultivar, I am surprised that it comes 
true-to-type from seed.  But I am not one to dispute Dr. Armitage.)  

The other noted perennial authority, Dr. Steven Still of Ohio State 
University, lists it in his Manual of Herbaceous Ornamental Plants as a 
short-lived perennial grown as an annual, and Dr. Still IS in a position to 
dispute his good friend, Dr. Armitage.  So, is this plant an annual (per 
Armitage)  or a short-lived perennial (per Still)?

Then again, perhaps it is a biennial. The American Horticultural Society, in 
it's A to Z Encyclopedia says of the species Rudbeckia hirta: '...biennial or 
short-lived perennial, often grown as an annual...'  How's that for confusion?

Rudbeckia hirta, the straight species, is native to the Eastern U.S. so I 
checked my native plant books.  No help there, they either don't say or list 
it variously as do the other sources.  I do see the species growing wild all 
over Missouri, so it is reproducing somehow.  And, unlike some other members 
of the Asteraceae (composite) family,  R. hirta is known to produce large 
quantities of viable seed.  Is this also true of the cultivar R. hirta 
'Indian Summer'?  

Not a botanist,  merely a horticulturist, all I can tell you is that in my 
zone 6 garden it did not return and did not reseed. It also did not return in 
the gardens at Gilberg Perennial Farms, and our customers have reported that 
it did not return in their gardens either. Why?  If the great botanists do 
not agree, then perhaps no one knows for sure.  

Hardiness is not the issue. By all authorities it is listed as hardy in zones 
3-7. 

Someone must know if this plant is an annual, biennial or perennial. There 
should be some discernable morphological indicators and it seems like some 
botanist somewhere chould take some time off from constantly changing plant 
names and  solve this.  This has perplexed me for some time, so after reading 
Lynn's post I took one last stab at finding an answer.  I checked 'Growing 
and Propagating Wild Flowers' by Harry R. Phillips, formerly of North 
Carolina Botanical Garden at the University of North Carolina.  He, too, 
lists Rudbeckia hirta as a short-lived perennial.  But Phillips finally sheds 
some light.   Writing of the native species, not the cultivar 'Indian 
Summer', he says, 'the species exists as an annual, a biennial, or a 
short-lived perennial, depending upon local growing conditions.'  

Aha!  There you have it.  It all depends on where you garden.   --Janis

P.S.  Phillips further says that to keep the plant in the garden one should 
allow it to self-sow.  I know of no instance of 'Indian Summer' self sowing 
here in St. Louis.  Perhaps local temperature, light and/or moisture 
conditions are not condusive.  As Lynn posted, it is a most amazing plant.  I 
think I might give it another go and, rather than leave it to chance this 
time, collect seed germinate them indoors.  


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