Black-Eyed Susan 'Goldsturm'

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'

Asteraceae

• Full sun; tolerates light partial shade (fewer blooms)
• 18–24" tall × 18–24" wide
• Drought Tolerant: Moderate — tolerates short dry spells once established; prefers consistent moisture for best bloom
• Evergreen: No
• Flower Color: Golden-yellow ray florets surrounding a dark brownish-black center cone, 3–4" across (July–October)
• Wildlife Benefits: Nectar and pollen source for bees, butterflies, skippers, and beetles; moth caterpillars feed on foliage; seed heads provide winter food for finches and sparrows

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' is a cultivar of orange coneflower, a species native to moist meadows, open woods, stream banks, and savannas across the eastern United States. The 'Goldsturm' selection was made in 1937 by Heinrich Hagemann while visiting a Czech nursery — he recognized an unusually floriferous, compact specimen of R. fulgida var. sullivantii and brought it to his employer Karl Foerster of Potsdam, Germany, for propagation. World War II delayed its release, but by 1949 'Goldsturm' (German for 'gold storm') had entered the trade and was on its way to becoming one of the most widely planted perennials in the world. In Spokane, it grows readily in average, well-drained to moderately moist soils in full sun, adapting well to clay or gravelly conditions. Unlike its eastern homeland habitats, it should not be sited in consistently waterlogged soil.

'Goldsturm' earned the Perennial Plant Association's 1999 Plant of the Year award and the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (1993) for good reason: it delivers a long, reliable, showy bloom from midsummer well into fall with almost no maintenance. The large daisy-like flowers — 3–4" across, with clean golden-yellow ray florets surrounding a near-black domed cone — appear on stiff, branching stems that hold up without staking even in wind. Each individual flower blooms for approximately two weeks, and the plant produces successive flowers in abundance over a season lasting nearly three months. The dark green, lance-shaped foliage forms a dense, upright clump 18–24" tall. After frost, the persistent dark seed cones add architectural interest through winter and should be left in place for bird feeding. 'Goldsturm' is technically a seed strain as well as a cultivar; some nurseries sell seed-grown plants under this name that vary slightly in habit from vegetatively propagated stock.

As a member of the Asteraceae family, 'Goldsturm' offers multiple wildlife resources beyond nectar: the accessible ray and disk flower structure allows foraging by a wide range of pollinators including native bees, bumblebees, small butterflies, skippers, pollinating flies, and beetles. Caterpillars of several moth species feed on the foliage and flowers, contributing to the broader food web. The nutlike seeds are relished by goldfinches, house finches, sparrows, and other seed-eating songbirds that visit the dry seed heads through fall and winter — a strong reason to delay cutting back until late winter or early spring. Mammalian browsers occasionally sample the foliage but generally move on; the plant is not their preferred food source. The genus Rudbeckia honors Swedish botanist Olof Rudbeck (1630–1702), founder of the Uppsala Botanic Garden and teacher of Carl Linnaeus.

Goldsturm Black-Eyed Susan is a foundational plant for sunny perennial borders, prairie-style plantings, meadow gardens, and pollinator patches. Its vivid golden-yellow flowers provide reliable midsummer to fall color and pair beautifully with cool-toned companions: Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna,' 'Bumbleblue,' and 'Bumbleberry' complete their bloom cycles just as 'Goldsturm' hits its stride, creating a seamless seasonal relay. For classic late-summer combinations, plant alongside Echinacea purpurea, Agastache foeniculum, Monarda fistulosa, and Liatris spicata. Ornamental grasses — particularly Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) and Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' — provide ideal textural contrast and movement. 'Goldsturm' also works well in mass plantings along roadsides and in right-of-way strips, where its drought adaptability and self-sustaining habit minimize maintenance.