Coneflower: Planting, Location & Propagation

The profuse coneflower is one of the most popular autumn shrubs. We give tips on propagating and planting coneflowers in beds and pots.

The sunhat (Rudbeckia), also called rudbeckia, is an easy-care and long-flowering perennial. With us you will find out what you should consider when choosing a location, planting and propagation and which accompanying plants go well with the coneflower.

Plant coneflower

When planting coneflowers, seeds for growing young plants or even larger perennials can be used. In the following you will find out which growing conditions and locations are suitable for the coneflower and how to plant the rudbeckia.

The right location for the sun hat

If you want to plant sun hats in the garden or on the balcony, you should first choose a suitable place. The ideal location for coneflowers is generally on fresh to moist, nutrient-rich and well-drained soils in full sun. You can read about the exact requirements of the different types of sun hat in our Variety article. When planting coneflowers in pots on balconies and patios, a nutrient-rich and sufficiently moisture-retaining substrate should be selected. Our pre-fertilized and completely peat-free

Plantura organic potting soil contains essential nutrients that your rudbeckia supply in the first time after planting. The high content of compost stores moisture and releases it to the plant roots when necessary. In order to further increase the water storage capacity, bentonite can also be added.

Which location is ideal for the sun hat?

• Sunny, some species also in partial shade
• Fresh to moist, but well-drained soils
• Locations with a good supply of nutrients

Planting and sowing the coneflower

Perennial perennial sun hats are available in many nurseries in the standard range. However, some species and varieties are short-lived and are therefore propagated annually via the seeds. The coneflower is sown from February to mid-April as a preculture in the house, between April and May it is also possible to sow directly outside when the soil temperature rises. Plastic bowls or small pots are particularly suitable for indoor cultivation. Sow the coneflower loosely on moist, nutrient-poor potting soil like ours Plantura organic herb & seed compost, and cover the seeds 0.5 cm thin with soil. Subsequently, water should be carefully watered and covered with a transparent plastic hood to ensure high humidity. On a light, warm window sill at 18-22 ° C, the coneflower seeds usually germinate after 14-21 days. Once the seedlings have formed at least two leaves after a few weeks, they can be pricked out and individually placed in small pots with nutrient-rich potting soil.

Coneflower sowing at a glance:

• Sow indoors from February, outdoors from April in nutrient-poor potting soil
• Spread seeds loosely, cover thinly with 0.5 cm substrate and water
• Germination at 18 - 22 ° C and sufficient light and moisture after 2 - 3 weeks
• Prick out the second pair of leaves in more nutrient-rich potting soil

After growing or buying a rudbeckia, the question arises: When is the best time to plant coneflower? The planting time for the perennial perennial sun hats is in the frost-free periods in late autumn from September to the end of October or from March. Self-grown plants from coneflower seeds, on the other hand, are planted outdoors after the ice saints from mid-May to June. The planting distance for coneflowers is 25 - 30 cm for annual rudbeckia and 60 - 90 cm for clump-forming and broad-growing perennials, depending on the species.

Before you plant coneflowers, you should prepare a suitable planter or the bedding area well. In order to successfully cultivate coneflower in the bucket for several years, the pot should contain at least 20 - 30 l of soil. The bottom 5 - 10 cm serve as a drainage layer and are therefore filled with gravel, expanded clay or sand before the potting soil is poured into it and lightly compacted. Smaller vessels and window boxes are also suitable for annual rudbeckia, as long as they have good water drainage. Weeds should be removed from the future planting area in the bed and the soil loosened over a large area and about as deep as a spatula. At the same time, you can enrich poor or sandy soils with ripe compost to improve nutrient reserves and water storage. Now dig a large planting hole with a spade or a hand shovel. Then the sun hats are placed in the earth at the same level as in the pot, lightly pressed and then watered well.

tip: Some kinds like Rudbeckia nitida are particularly at risk of feeding, so snail protection may be necessary.

Combining a sun hat: the best companion plants

Depending on the species, sun hats are planted as solitary plants or in small groups of three to ten to bring out the rich flowering perennials. Tall and vigorous species such as the giant coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima) or the parachute sun hat (Rudbeckia nitida) better planted individually, while low perennials such as the October coneflower (Rudbeckia triloba) a group planting in the bed quickly develops into a veritable sea of ​​flowers without appearing intrusive. The bed neighbors are also important. Combine sun hat with offset flowering, color-contrasting flowering plants or grasses to create a varied perennial bed. The following species are particularly suitable as a companion plant for sun hats:

• Blue nettle (Agastache)
• Verbena (Verbena)
• Grasses: pipe grass (Molinia), Mosquito grass (Bouteloua gracilis), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Trembling grass (Briza media)
• Autumn aster (aster)
• Indian nettle (Monarda)
• delphinium (Delphinium)
• Sage species (Salvia)
• Mock sun hat (Echinacea)
• Sun bride (Helenium)
• Cranesbill (Geranium)

Propagate the coneflower

Propagation of coneflower can be via seeds, division or as with some varieties of the Rudbeckia hirta done via rhizome tubers. The simplest and guaranteed true-to-variety method is to divide the perennial herbaceous clusters in early spring for new shoots from mid-February to the end of March. With a sharp spade, a not too small section with good roots is cut off, dug up and placed in a suitable location. Alternatively, you can dig up and relocate the rhizomes of coneflower species that form as nodules as possible without injury.

You can harvest coneflower seeds yourself in late autumn from September to November. These are often not single-variety if there are other rudbeckia in the area, but they are easy to collect and store. The annual sun hats begin to die off in late autumn. Cut off dry seed heads from the browning plants. They are allowed to dry in the house for a few weeks at room temperature. The elongated seeds usually fall out of the conical flower heads by themselves. Then store the coneflower seeds in a dark, dry and cool place.

In addition to rudbeckia, numerous other perennials bloom well into late autumn. We put the 10 most beautiful autumn flowers for your garden.