Sudden Death on Goldsturm Rudbeckia

Every once in awhile, I see a condition in Goldsturm Rudbeckia: The whole plant turns brown, almost as if it dried out. But, it doesn't seem to be caused by drought. Seems like it's a disease or a pest.

Anyone else seen this?

-David

When this happens, dig up the plant (carefully) and check the roots. If the roots and ground in general is soggy and/or moldy -- then the culprit is root rot. This is usually caused by overwatering. If you find grubs in the soil, they are the culprit. If the roots are generally missing, then something is eating them. I could not find any viruses listed that specifically affect Goldstrum.