Rudbeckia fulgida

Black-eyed Susan is a erect herbaceous perennial in the Asteraceae (daisy) family native to the eastern part of the United States.   

With prolific yellow daisy-like flowers that have a brownish-purple center that first mature in early summer and continue into the fall this plant may quickly reach 2 to 3 feet tall. A rosette of leaves that originate at the base of the stem persists through the winter, creating an attractive winter ground cover. Leave the seed heads on as a winter food source for the birds. 

Black-eyed Susan is easy to grow, thriving in any but soggy soils. It does best in full sun but tolerates partial shade. It also bears up under hot, humid summers and, once established, will tolerate drought. The plant spreads by underground stems called rhizomes to form large clumps. Propagation can be done by division in the spring or fall, or it can be propagated by seed. It is utilized for perennial beds, backgrounds, in pollinator gardens, in naturalized areas, and borders. Staking may be required for large heads.

Cultivars of this plant are usually what are sold in garden centers.

This plant was selected as the 1988 NC Wildflower of the Year, a program managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with some financial support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.

Quick ID Hints:

• Erect herbs with basal rosette green leaves
• Heads with brown-black, flattened domes
• Ray flowers in a single row, yellow or orange

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant has no pest and disease problems. Some cultivars have shown good resistance to leaf spot and a fair amount of resistance to abiotic disorder and southern blight (where fair is defined as less than half the plants studied dying of the disease). See Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot in the Landscape.

Additional Video for Rudbeckia fulgida - Part of the Native Plant Picks series from the North Carolina Sea Grant led Coastal Landscapes Initiative.