I bought some beautiful flowers yesterday called "Rudbeckia Irish Eyes." The tag says they're a perennial, but now that I'm researching them I see they're known as a weak perennial normally treated like an annual. Apparently they might survive a couple winters or they might not.

What do you all think I should do? Does anyone have experience with this type of flower? They're beautiful, but I'm trying to decide whether to return them or plant them.

My big question... how hard will it be to keep them going? Can I plant the spent flower center or harvest seeds and plant them somehow? Does anyone know how to do it or know how successful I'm likely to be? I'm willing to do a little intervention if they will keep coming up-- otherwise, back to the store!

Thanks!