I've always been a fan of Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm', have had 5 large clumps growing for most of the last 6 or 7 years, coming back year after year. Well, this spring, NONE of them came back. Seriously. I thought this stuff couldn't be killed. But none of it came back this spring. Very disappointed, they always put on an amazing show each summer, have 5 large HOLES in my gardens. Anyone else in PA have this problem with R.Goldsturm this spring?

Well, poop. I planted one in my "droughty" bed a few weeks ago, along with potentilla, grasses, sedums--I don't know why I assumed they were drought tolerant. I must have read it somewhere, or maybe just had it in mind that if it's a prairie native, it must take dry feet well. So, guess I had better check them more often.

I've had r. Goldsturm for at least 6 yrs. The 1st summer, they need to be watered well until well established. After that 1st year I normally water them once a week, unless we've had a good rain. When it gets really hot, they will droop. But after the sun leaves them, they perk back up in an hour or so. When they droop like that, they're just conserving water. A lot of plants do that. When I do water them, I water them deeply. Mulching them will help too. The past couple of years they've really been spreading. They're easy enough to keep in control if you pull them out while they're small.

Kat

I have these planted at the bottom of the slope in my butterfly garden that naturally has more moisture.

However, even in the long drought of 2007 where there was NO rain or water, they survived. They were planted in spring 2007, so it was the first year.

They are not bunny tolerant! I have to spray mine with I MUST GARDEN rabbit repellant (and it is working). When they bloom, the Goldfinches flock to them to eat the seeds.

Cameron

I've had them for a long time now in a very dry spot. In fact I remember mine were originally dug from someone else's garden, and I didn't plant them for a long time. The clump in a bag I ignored, and never watered. I contemplated throwing them away, but it would rain and the clump would revive so I couldn't kill them, lol, and they've been with me ever since.

Watermark,
That is very very odd for all of them to go at the same time. I'm not sure what could of happened.
Remy

My Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' are not disease prone at all, but like yours, they are not as drought tolerant as I thought they would be. I planted them in a xeric border, and they wilt pretty badly when it gets dry.

In my experience Rudbeckia hirta and all its pretty cultivars are a bit more drought-tolerant.

I have the straight R.fulgida rather then cultivar 'Golsturm' I've planted both at clients and Goldsturm I find has slightly larger flowers and has noticeably darker & larger foliage then the species. It's my feeling that this why they are a little less drought tolerant and more prone to diseases like botrytis.

The leaves on the species are smaller and more slender which seems to make them less prone to rapid water loss. The flowers are a bit smaller but just as showy and you get an extra 2 - 4 weeks of bloom out of them (up to 8 weeks) rather then the standard 4 weeks from the 'Golsturm' and disease is rarely an issue. But they still have the same attraction for rabbits - lol.