Naming an old friend

What did we do before Google?

I have known and loved this plant for years but never knew its name. For lack of the real name it went by the handle "TOFYS", for Tall Old-Fashioned Yellow Stuff.

Then a customer at the farmers' market told me that her mother used to grow it and called it "Golden Glow".


A Google of Golden Glow immediately took me to a website and lo and behold there is our old friend. Her official name is Rudbeckia Laciniata "Hortensia". Since she doesn't look a bit like her cousins Echinacea or Black-eyed Susan, I would never have guessed.


The website even had hints on how to shorten her a bit. The flowers are great but 7 feet tall is a bit much. She always keels over after a rain. Pinching her back in June works like a charm. It brings her down to a manageable 5 feet.


There is even a new shorter hybrid variety, but it is not as prolific as the old standby. Prolific is what we want for babies that can be turned into cash!


The website is http://perennials.com/. The name "Heritage Perennials" turns out to be a protected trade mark. I had no idea. That's what I put on my sign at the market. How can they take 2 common words and claim exclusive use for them???


My first reaction was: "I will continue to use the term. Come and bite me!"
However, I had a little exchange with John, the owner of the site, just to thank him for the fantastic resource.
He was so nice and helpful that I will honor his trade mark. He even had a suggestion to use instead. I now sell Heirloom Perennials.