Double Bloom
Where to buy seeds
Some links are affiliate links — Verdantly may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
Goldilocks Rudbeckia is a compact, dwarf black-eyed Susan that earned the prestigious Fleuroselect Gold Medal for its spectacular masses of large double and semi-double flowers. This open-pollinated annual grows to a neat 15 inches tall and produces generous 3 to 4 inch sunburst yellow blooms over 100 to 109 days, thriving in full sun across zones 3 through 9. It's a tidy yet dramatic twist on the traditional daisy-like rudbeckia, adapting well to various growing conditions while delivering reliable, abundant color.
Full Sun
—
3-9
15in H x ?in W
Annual, Biennial, Perennial
High
Hover over chart points for details
Goldilocks earned its Fleuroselect Gold Medal distinction by producing masses of large double and semi-double yellow flowers on unusually compact 15-inch plants. The blooms reach 3 to 4 inches across, substantially larger than typical dwarf rudbeckia varieties. Its neat, contained growth habit combined with generous flowering makes it an exceptional choice for borders, containers, and cut arrangements without requiring the tall, sprawling stems you'd find in standard types. The plant performs well across diverse growing conditions, living up to its reputation for adaptability.
Goldilocks serves primarily as an ornamental flower, delivering abundant yellow blooms for garden display and fresh-cut arrangements. Its compact 15-inch height makes it particularly suited to border plantings and container gardening where taller varieties would overwhelm the space. The long vase life of its double flowers has established it as a reliable cut flower for both home and commercial arrangements.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Maintain soil temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination. Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date in your zone. Space plants 12 inches apart to allow for mature spread. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before final planting.
Direct sow seeds after the last frost date and soil has warmed. Scatter seed and rake lightly into soil, keeping the seedbed consistently moist until germination occurs.
Cut flowers for arrangements when the blooms are fully open and bright yellow. Harvest in early morning after dew has dried for longest vase life. Cut stems at a 45-degree angle and place immediately in water.
Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage continuous blooming throughout the season. Pinching back young plants when they reach 6 inches tall promotes bushier, more compact growth and denser flowering.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Goldilocks earned recognition as a Fleuroselect Gold Medal Winner, marking it as a genuinely exceptional ornamental variety judged against international standards. The Fleuroselect award celebrates its distinctive combination of dwarf stature and prolific double-flowered blooms, a relatively recent development in rudbeckia breeding that departed from the simpler single-flowered forms gardeners had grown for generations.”