If these gigantic blooms were facing forward instead of held straight up, you'd think they were Sunflowers, so massive are they! It's not enough to say that Autumn Colors has the largest blooms ever grown on a Gloriosa Daisy -- these flowers are more than DOUBLE the size of traditional varieties, ranging from 5 to a full 7 inches across! And as if that weren't exciting enough, each bloom is uniquely ringed and petalled, giving you a varied bouquet from even a small planting! (But why would you ever want a small planting of this showstopper? Break out the tiller and let Autumn Colors march through your garden!)
Autumn Colors is an upright, fairly compact plant, just 20 to 24 inches tall and 12 to 15 inches wide. That's why it's all the more surprising to see humongous blooms opening atop the plant from late spring into early fall! And such beautiful blooms! All have a maroon to burgundy center, but beyond that, all bets are off. Some have bronze petals, others sunny yellow, still others rich gold. A few have burgundy rings toward the base of the petals. They do well in the back of the border, where their size makes them stand out, or dotted among other summer bloomers in the middle of a mixed planting. Or, to really show them off, consider a large planting in front of a "wall" of ornamental grass such as Millet Jester or Fountain Grass.
These strong-stemmed blooms are long-lasting in the vase, so if you have a cutting garden, be sure to grow a few plants just for indoor arrangements. And few annuals are easier to grow than native American Rudbeckia. Start the seeds indoors or out, setting young plants in full sun and any well-drained soil. Be sure to space them at least 16 inches apart, however -- Gloriosa Daisy needs good air circulation to perform at its best!
Autumn Colors is the winner of the Fleuroselect Quality Mark, Europe's highest award for flowering ornamentals from seed. Everything about it is pleasing, from its ease of culture to its ever-distinctive colors to its over-the-top flower size. Enjoy this blockbuster in your sunny garden! Pkt is 25 seeds.
