Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy'

After growing Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy', you'll never look at rudbeckia the same way again. This powerhouse of a plant is just 2 feet tall, but sends up dozens upon dozens of giant daisies over a long season, bringing butterflies and bees to pay their respects all summer long. The long-lasting blooms combine rich shades of red and maroon with that trademark big black eye, so you can imagine how terrific they look in the vase (or just the cone, dried as an Everlasting). In autumn, hungry songbirds replace the butterflies and bees, feasting on the seeds. Don't worry, though—there are plenty in every bloom, so Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy' will self-sow magnificently in your sunny garden.

The flowers reach 3 to 4 inches wide, with petals that shade from zingy cherry-red to deep maroon at the base. Slightly upturned, they are eye-catching even from down the street, so you can imagine what a fully-blooming plant or grouping looks like. Held on very strong stems (hey, they have to support those heavy birds in autumn), the flowers soak up the sun, even in poor dry soils. Expect them to bloom from early summer well into fall in most climates.

Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy' stands up to heat, humidity, drought, pests, and diseases effortlessly, making it wonderfully low maintenance in the garden. The winner of several awards, it combines a compact habit, large blooms, and completely unique blend of colors. And as a biennial (half-hardy annual), it would be short-lived if it didn't reseed itself so generously. Here's a plant that truly has everything a flower-loving gardener desires. North of its hardiness range, grow it as an annual.