DENVER — The bumblebee daisy is my favorite flower for the late summer garden.
Each small yellow and black flower resembles a bumblebee. They bloom in big clusters atop branching stems to about 3 feet tall. They provide a golden glow in the garden.
Almost everybody can grow the bumblebee daisy, a native of the Great Plains that is properly known as Rudbeckia triloba. The triloba part of the scientific name refers to the three lobes on each leaf, but it's the flowers that really set it apart.
Bumblebee daisies are biennial, meaning their life cycle is two years. They make leaves the first year and bloom the second.
This isn't a plant that you can normally pick up at a nursery, but you can buy the seeds there. They can be sown in fall or early spring. Once you've got them going, you'll have them forever.
They thrive in full sun or even part shade. They're not fussy about soil and are somewhat drought tolerant.
Best of all, bumblebee daisies are pest free and disease free. Don't deadhead the flowers after they fade because you'll want the plant to seed itself. The dark brown seedheads are actually rather nice in fall arrangements and in the winter garden.
Bumblebee daisies take over the show after some summer-blooming perennials have faded. They pair well with other late bloomers such as Sedum "Autumn Joy," asters and Japanese anemones.
More Proctor's Garden:
- How to save water and have a beautiful garden
- These flowers will keep your garden colorful in August
- How to create an English perennial border
- How to care for plants during the dog days of summer
- How to have a colorful xeriscaped garden
- Gardening 101: Follow these easy tips to help your plants thrive
- Indoor and outdoor plants
- How to grow your own salad
- Gradual sun exposure can help your garden thrive
- These plants can flower 365 days a year if cared for properly
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