Marmalade Rudbeckia Seeds

Marmalade Rudbeckia is a beautiful tender perennial with vibrant golden-orange flowers that can grow up to five inches across! It’s great for flower beds, borders, and containers, and makes a lovely cut flower. Plants can handle heat and attract pollinators. Remove spent blooms to prolong the season.

Marmalade Rudbeckia seeds need light to germinate and a cold, wet period to sprout. Start seeds in early to mid-fall, or cold-stratify before sowing in spring.

Planting by Zones

Zones 9–10

• As with many flowers in Zones 9 and 10 and other areas with mild winters, you can plant Rudbeckia in the fall or the spring. Fall plantings can be easier to establish as they get to enjoy cooler temperatures and seasonal rainfall.
• For the quickest germination, place seed trays in the refrigerator for 30 days. Cold exposure hastens seed germination.
• Transplanting is recommended, but direct seeding can be successful. Gently press the seed into the soil as soon as soil can be worked in early spring or fall. Rudbeckia happily reseeds.

Zones 3–8

• Start indoors seven weeks before the last frost. Transplant after the danger of frost is gone.

Planting Rudbeckia Seeds

• Rudbeckia seeds are very small and should be planted in trays and transplanted out for the best results. If you choose to direct sow, press seeds into the soil and cover with a finely sifted layer of soil no more than 1/8” deep.

Growing Rudbeckia

• Rudbeckia can be planted in various soil conditions and enjoys both full sun and partial shade. A very versatile and easy-to-grow flower for flower arrangements and pollinator gardens. They also make excellent dried flowers.

Growing Rudbeckia in Containers

• If you are planting Rudbeckia in containers, make sure your container is at least 10” deep. The larger the container, the more blooms you will get from your plants. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture.

Harvesting Rudbeckia Flowers

• Harvest early, in the cool of the morning for the most attractive and long-lasting blooms.

Southern California Pro-tips

• Rudbeckia will grow happily year-round in mild areas.
• Start in the fall for the largest display of blooms in spring and summer.
• Mulch heavily to ensure the soil stays cool and well-watered.
• DO NOT overhead water as this promotes disease.

Companion Flowers/ Crops

• Rudbeckia looks lovely with most warm-season flowers like sunflowers, hollyhocks, and marigolds. Search all our flower varieties here.

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube channel.