Here's a fabulous and rare US native plant that you're not likely to run into at your neighborhood garden center. The giant, bold-textured Rudbeckia auriculata is endemic to a small region in southeastern Alabama and adjacent Florida and Georgia. Our plants are asexually propagated from plants we received from the Atlanta Botanic Garden, originally from a population in Webster County, Georgia. Rudbeckia auriculata grows alongside pitcher plants in moist, sunny sites, but can also be found in alkaline seeps. In the garden, Rudbeckia auriculata grows fine for us in typical garden soils where it produces 8' tall, joe pye weed-like stalks that branch toward the top. The branches are then topped with clusters of 2-3" golden orange flowers in August and September. In rich soils, Rudbeckia auriculata can lean like the Tower of Pisa, so it's best used at the back of the border where it can find support as needed.
