Susan Move Over, Green Wizard Is Here
Forum Archives
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Dec-13-2004 at 10:01pm
Rudbeckia occidentalis 'Green Wizard' is an exciting new perennial for the garden.
Rudbeckia, the Black-eyed Susan, does not come dressed in autumn colors anymore. Instead, in waltzes R. 'Green Wizard' (Black coneflower) with a beautiful, tall black conehead with not a petal to be seen; just beautiful green sepals at the cone's base. Susan fled the neighborhood, now that the coneheads moved in.
Easy to start from seed, they will bloom the first year provided you sow the seed early enough. My experience with these plants is they need full sun here in our maritime climate. In shade, the flower stems tend to flop over. In full sun the stems grow straight, strong and tall.
The flowers are excellent for cutting, not only for fresh arrangements but also for dried flowers. The tall stately plant can be tucked in behind the border. Its unusual flowers stand unassuming until closer inspection reveals their true beauty. Supposedly, deer resistant, but as I normally warn—resistance depends on your local herd. My own observations of the plants in my garden reveal that our Pacific Northwest bees and butterflies flock to this rudbeckia when in bloom; while seeds left on the cone heads provide food for birds.
A new addition to the Plant Gallery that you can see here.
What do you think?
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Dec-14-2004 at 7:50am
I planted 'Green Wizard' several years ago. I really enjoy the structural aspects of the flowers. The leaves are nice and big, making the plant look more lush. Mine are in full sun also and seem to grow quite straight and about 5ft tall.
Great pic, Debbie.
Jeanne
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Dec-14-2004 at 9:13am
I like it. I'll bet it is very striking in the garden and in cut flower arrangements. What do you pair it with in your gardens, Debbie and Jeanne?
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Dec-14-2004 at 2:12pm
I've got it paired with a white shasta daisy. Maybe not the most inventive combo but the large leaves of the rudbeckia go well with the finer, gray leaves of the daisy. Also, the white goes well with the dark chocolate brown. It's a knock out with orange, red or yellow dahlias. I paired it with a yellow and red striped cactus dahlia in a cut arrangement and it looked really nice.
Jeanne
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Dec-15-2004 at 4:09pm
Hmmm, mine is with Digitalis lutea, some salvias and hmmm on the ledge above the pond I have, um, er lots of weeds.
Wanda
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Dec-15-2004 at 6:34pm
I think this must be one of those right brain things. I say the emperor has no clothes. Will you guys still love me if I don't get it?
-Left Brain Wanda
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Dec-15-2004 at 8:20pm
ROTFLOL, Wanda! Of course we'll still love you! But don't feel bad, I'm sure you aren't alone. It would be very boring if we all liked only the same plants. ;-)
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Dec-16-2004 at 8:12am
Of course, Wanda! We love you anyway! I'm left-brained, and I like it, so it can't be that. I like them for the interesting structure and shape but they aren't very colorful. You have to get close. They don't make an impact from across the garden, that is for sure!
Jeanne
Wanda
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Dec-16-2004 at 8:16am
Whew! I was worried about losing my tiarra over this one!
-Wanda
Screaming Eagle
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Dec-16-2004 at 9:17am
Shhhhh, don't tell anyone Wanda but it didn't do anything for me either. Maybe I need to see it in person?
I think I'm going for something a little more splashy:
Gaillardia at Bluestone Perennials
Maybe summer's kiss or tokajer.
I'm glad we don't all pick the same thing, that's what makes visiting other people's gardens so interesting. I've found I appreciate something much more when I see it in person in situ. Just living is not enough...one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower...
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Dec-16-2004 at 3:35pm
I'm not normally a fan of orange but 'Summer's Kiss' and 'Tokajer' are stunners, Theresa. You can't go wrong with either.
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Dec-16-2004 at 9:36pm
I was looking at "Arizona Sun"--the photo in their catalog is even brighter (or does my monitor need cleaning?).
I've taken several looks at the Rudbeckia . . . and, well . . . it's bald! But where Yul Brynner used to do something for me, the Rudbeckia is just plain bald.
I guess I just like petals.
Or maybe this is one that would be just stunning in the right place, in the right combo.
Barb
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Dec-17-2004 at 7:46am
LOL! Debbie, are we the only ones that like bald plants?!
I love orange! And red and yellow ... The brighter the better! The tokajer is really cool. But then so is Summer's Kiss. Love that bold color. Theresa, you picked some winners there. I had a couple of gaillardia a few years ago but they just kind of fizzeled out. Wonder if I didn't give them enough sun?
Jeanne
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Dec-17-2004 at 11:00am
No, not just us. However, I seem to like a lot of flowers that others don't care for. I still think these are beautiful and very architetural, like many eryngiums. We can't all agree on what is beautiful, but this one works for me.
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Dec-17-2004 at 12:49pm
Yeah, it's a good thing we don't all agree on what is beautiful. And yes, you do like some "flowers" that others don't like. I was surprised that you were interested in the Dracunculus vulgaris. Another weird plant nut. Not too many people would be interested in a somewhat suggestive plant with an awful smell! I am really getting interested in arisaemas. Interesting flowers with no smell! Heronswood has some nice arisaemas. I think we/I need a nursery run this spring!
Jeanne
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Dec-17-2004 at 5:28pm
Well I am always in search of the weird or unusual too! Anyway that we don't all agree makes for some lively conversation. At least no one is calling me, Jane.
You must let me know when you are coming up to go to Heronswood. That is if you want an enabler along!
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Dec-20-2004 at 8:03am
Oh, yeah. All the enablers I can get! LOL.
Jeanne
Red Hare
Location: Oregon coast
Posted: Jan-05-2005 at 1:46pm
Hey, some of my best friends are bald!
Who was it that said, choosing a plant for its blossoms is like marrying a girl because you like her hat?
I love color, too, but I've brought home too many plants because of their blooms and then been disappointed with them when the blooms fade. Maybe that's why I like this rudbeckia - it already looks faded! (I think I need a shrink....)
Hey, garden designers - wouldn't having a plant like this in your scheme add a certain je ne sais quoi, like a comma that causes a viewer to slow down and look twice? Maybe not. Maybe it would cause a viewer to wonder why you don't deadhead your spent rudbeckia blossoms. So maybe this plant could be considered a garden practical joke.
I like it. I think I'll order some seeds and see what happens. My neighbors are already wondering about me anyway.
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jan-05-2005 at 4:07pm
Red Hare, I love your humor and your observations, particularly "like a comma that causes a viewer to slow down and look twice." We already talk about focal plants serving as exclamation points in the garden, so why not refer to garden oddities as commas? Makes total sense to me.
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jan-05-2005 at 6:26pm
It looks like this year I will need to get a better picture of it, so that you all will drool over it. Or am I too late?
It actually has beautiful foliage and is quite a striking plant in the landscape. IMNSHO, that is!
Screaming Eagle
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Jan-06-2005 at 10:15am
Well, now after my first reaction I'm starting to consider it. I'm planning an orange bed and need some contrast and something to cool things down a bit so it's not too brash overall. This green wizard guy seems like a good choice.
I second what Red Hare says about choosing plants solely for their blossom. My main complaint about catologues is they show great pictures of the blossoms but not much that shows the plant as a whole. Even if they had a little black and white drawing of the shape, that would be helpful.
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jan-06-2005 at 2:13pm
Theresa, the leaves are somewhat paddle shaped with a pointed tip and are about 5-6 inches at the widest point in the middle. My plant gets to about 5 ft tall. It gets water every other day through a drip tube but no fertilizer and it seems to do okay. It's in full sun.
Jeanne
Screaming Eagle
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Jan-07-2005 at 9:17am
Thanks for the info Jeanne. How wide is it?
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jan-07-2005 at 9:34am
Not too wide for a large leaved plant. Maybe 2 - 3 feet wide.
Jeanne
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Jan-10-2005 at 7:57pm
Screaming Eagle, you have hit the nail on the finger! I agree, catalogues just miss the point so often not provinging some context in which to judge the floral part of the plant--I want to know the height, width, looks of the green foliage-- Especially things like herbs, where the main event isn't the blossom. I thought the Green Wizard rudbeckia looked a lot like my pink and yellow rudbeckias after the petals have faded. Duh!
When I first started becoming interested in flowers, I was drawn to things I could dry and make dried arrangements, then I discovered how beautiful dahlias are, and now I am fascinated with foliage and grasses, and last year discovered hebe's, Then in November we went to New Zealand, and I have come home with a whole head full of new ideas, and lots more hebes to investigate! Isn't gardening fantastic?
Carol
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jan-11-2005 at 10:51am
Originally posted by cj
"... you have hit the nail on the finger! I agree, catalogues just miss the point so often not provinging some context in which to judge the floral part of the plant--I want to know the height, width, looks of the green foliage--"
Ouch, CJ!
I think many catalogs are geared towards the customer that buys plants for just the flowers. I think we all begin gardening that way, enticed by the flowers. As we mature in gardening we start seeing the whole plant, and other parts become important, such as foliage, textures, etc. But we are also still drawn to the pretty pictures too!
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jan-11-2005 at 1:42pm
I also like to know how gracefully - or not - a plant dies. Sure, it may have lovely flowers but if they don't last long and the whole thing becomes a blackened, mushy mess, I want to know so I either don't plant it or put it where it's ugly death throes are well-camouflaged.
But good luck finding that info out in catalogs! Thank goodness for fellow gardeners who can tell me those things.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton