SPECIES: Rudbeckia hirta (rood-beck'i-a, coneflower) (her-ta, meaning hairy) Member daisy family.

FORM: Vase shape growth habit with single flowers at end of stems.

SIZE: 1-3 feet tall, 12-15 inches wide.

EXPOSURE: Sun to part shade.

LEAVES: Dark green, hairy.

FLOWERS: Daisy-like flowers, orange-yellow with dark brown cone centers, summer and fall.

CULTURE: Easy to grow. Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before last spring frost, then transplant outdoors. Set plants 18 inches apart. Prefer warm weather and soil. Tolerates medium soil and moisture. Divide in spring.

USES: Meadow gardens, informal plantings, spacious perennial beds. Make nice cut flowers.

PROBLEMS: Aphids, powdery mildew. Classified as slug-proof plant in book ``What Perennial Where'' by DK Publishing.

RELATED VARIETIES: Rudbeckia Goldsturm, '99 Perennial of the Year. Gloriosa Daisy, 6-inch wide flowers from yellow and gold to mahogany, red or bicolored.