IN THE YARD: Rudbeckia

• By ED CULLEN
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Nov 6, 2009 - Page: 1D

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Continue dividing and transplanting hardy perennials.

I suffered palsy of the check-writing hand when I bought enough rudbeckia to go across a bed that parallels my street. That was three years ago.

The rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan) have filled the bed nicely, crowded out most weeds and given me new plants to put in other places in the yard or share with friends. The new plants are made when the rudbeckia divides.

Rudbeckia bracketed or backed by Louisiana native petunia makes a striking display of color — the petunias’ deep purple flowers and long dark stems and the rudbeckia’s yellow-gold flowers and large, dark green oval leaves.

The rudbeckia in the photo, what is now called Early Bird Gold rudbeckia, was found growing in a field of Goldsturm rudbeckia at Dupont Nursery in Plaquemine. It bloomed two months before the Goldsturm and continued to bloom two months longer.

The new variety is “day length neutral,” meaning it’s not dependent on day length to induce flowering or day length to stay in bloom.

TREE-FOR-ALL: If you missed Baton Rouge Green’s Tree-for-All in October, drop by the organization’s tree farm from noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Burden Center, 4560 Essen Lane. Follow the small Baton Rouge Green sign directing you to the tree farm.

Prices range from $14 to $30 for trees including a nice selection of varieties of cypress, ornamental maple, oak, pine, river birch, sycamore, crape myrtle, magnolia, peach, pecan, blue native cedar, ginkgo balboa and holly (weeping yaupon). Cash, check or credit cards are accepted.