Goldilocks Black-eyed Susan, Perennial of The Day

Rudbeckia hirta 'Goldilocks'     

syn. Rudbeckia flava
    Black-eyed Susan,  Coneflower,  Gloriosa Daisy

Type    Annual, biennial, perennial
Height    10" to 15" / 25cm to 40cm
Spread    24" to 30" / 60cm to 75cm
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Rounded and upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Yellow
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment
This plant tolerates salt well.
This plant will grow in dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is  a neutral soil.

Leaf Color    Green

Culture Notes
This plant is a short-lived perennial or biennial and is often grown as an annual.  It self-sows easily and cuttings can be taken in late summer and rooted in the cold frame.  This plant prefers a sunny spot, with a well-drained fertile soil.  Plants serve as butterfly nectar sources.  'Goldilocks' is a Fleuroselect winner.  It is more compact and has double or semidouble yellow blossoms.

Hollyhock Mallow, Perennial of The Day

Malva alcea 

Hollyhock Mallow

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 9A
Height    18" to 36" / 45cm to 90cm
Spread    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Pink
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

Environment
This plant tolerates drought.
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy.
The pH preference is  a neutral soil.

Leaf Color    Green

Culture Notes
This easy to grow plant may need staking to keep it from sprawling.  It will reseed easily and could become a problem in the ornamental garden.  It works well in a naturalistic planting areas.

Rose Mallow, Perennial Of The Day

Hibiscus x 'Sweet Caroline'

Mallow, Giant Mallow, Rose Mallow

Type Perennial

Hardy range 4A to 9A

Height 4' to 6' / 1.20m to 1.80m

Spread 36" to 4' / 90cm to 1.20m

Growth rate Fast

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Full sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Pink

Bloom Time Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy.

Environment This plant tolerates occasional wetness.
This plant will grow in moist to wet soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.

Leaf Color Green

Culture Notes The Hibiscus plant produces the largest flowers of any perennial. It not only grows perfectly in average garden soil, but also does well in moist, windy areas. Cut back stems in early spring. Propagate by soft-wood cuttings in the summer or hard-wood cuttings in the fall. Plants go well with: Helianthus, Rudbeckia, Echinacea, and Malva. Although the Hibiscus plant is tall, the need for staking is rare. Shrublike in appearance, these plants do die back to ground level during the winter months. With regular pruning, it can be used as a hedge or specimen plant.
The buds of 'Sweet Caroline' have an unusual rosebud shape. Its gorgeous pink flowers are 6-8" in diameter, irregularly ruffled and display deeper pink veins as well as a deeper pink eyezone. Asexual propagation of this plant is prohibited.

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Montbretia, Perennial Of The Day

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'Emily McKenzie'

Montbretia, Crocosmia

Type Perennial

Hardy range 5A to 9B

Height 24" to 30" / 60cm to 75cm

Spread 6" to 12" / 15cm to 30cm

Growth rate Fast

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Full sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Orange

Bloom Time Summer

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment This plant tolerates occasional wetness.
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is a neutral soil.

Leaf Color Green

This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes These colorful flowers have a slight nod to them and are funnel shaped. Lift the bulbs in fall, storing in a cool dry area in colder climates. Crocosmias are clump forming and will spread rapidly when established. They bloom best when crowded. 'Emily McKenzie' is an excellent choice due to its bright orange (with red throats) blossoms.

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Lipstick Plant, Perennial Of The Day

Aeschynanthus pulcher 'Black Pagoda'

Lipstick Plant

Type Perennial

Hardy range 10A to 10A

Height 3" to 12" / 8cm to 30cm

Spread 12" to 36" / 30cm to 90cm

Growth rate Average

Form Spreading or horizontal

Exposure Full shade

Bloom Color Red and yellow

Bloom Time Summer and Fall

The flowers are fragrant and showy.

Environment This plant tolerates some drought.
This plant will grow in dry to moist soil.
Suitable soil is sandy.
The pH preference is an acidic to neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color Green

This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes Aeschynanthus is typically grown as a houseplant in cooler temperate zones. Often grown in hanging baskets. Water often when actively growing but sparingly when plant is semi-dormant in winter months. Fertilize monthly with a water soluble fertilizer.

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