Black Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- rud-BEK-ee-ah HER-tah
- Description
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Black-eyed Susan is a fast-growing, upright, branching biennial or short-lived perennial in the aster family (Asteraceae) that is native to the eastern United States. Because it blooms in the first year when planted from seed in early spring, it is often mistaken for an annual. The species epithet means “hairy” and refers to short, stiff hairs on the leaves and stems.
Grow black-eyed Susan in moist, well-drained clay, loam, or sandy soil and in full sun to partial shade. Moderate fertility will give you the best flower show so avoid planting it on the edges of lawns where lawn fertilizer will provide excess nitrogen. It freely self-seeds and usually remains in the garden.
Flowers are typically composed of a brown or green domed center surrounded by bright yellow or orange ray florets that first mature in midsummer and, with deadheading, continue into the middle of fall. The flowers attract a variety of insect visitors and pollinators as well as a food source for the larvae of the Emerald (Synchlora aerata) and Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) butterflies. Each plant may reach 2 to 4 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide and is moderately resistant to salt, deer, and drought.
In the landscape, use black-eyed Susan on a slope or bank or in a naturalized area. Add it to a coastal, butterfly, native, or pollinator garden. Planted in small groups it is suitable for a border or foundation planting.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to powdery mildew, snails, and slugs.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Vegetable, Herb and Mostly Native Pollinator Garden Butterfly Garden at Rob Wallace Park Davidson County Extension Demonstration Garden Pollinator Garden in Full Sun Pollinator Garden in Partial Shade Four-Season Garden Beehive Garden, Wake Co Herb & Flower Cottage Garden Entryway Garden, Cabarrus County Extension Office
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Cherry Brandy'
Cherry-red flowers - 'Denver Daisy'
2nd Place in the 2019 NC State Annual Color Trials. Has a big mahogany-red eye and yellow petals - 'Indian Summer'
6-9 inch yellow flowers - Rudbeckia hirta var. angustifolia
A rare native variety found in sandhills & longleaf pine woodlands. Stems leafy mainly toward the base. - Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherimma
A common variety of fields & roadsides. Stems leafy throughout. - 'Sonara'
A large mahogany ring on bright golden yellow petals - 'Tiger Eye Gold'
- 'Cherry Brandy'
- 'Cherry Brandy', 'Denver Daisy', 'Indian Summer', Rudbeckia hirta var. angustifolia, Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherimma, 'Sonara', 'Tiger Eye Gold'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Cherry Brandy'
Cherry-red flowers - 'Denver Daisy'
2nd Place in the 2019 NC State Annual Color Trials. Has a big mahogany-red eye and yellow petals - 'Indian Summer'
6-9 inch yellow flowers - Rudbeckia hirta var. angustifolia
A rare native variety found in sandhills & longleaf pine woodlands. Stems leafy mainly toward the base. - Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherimma
A common variety of fields & roadsides. Stems leafy throughout. - 'Sonara'
A large mahogany ring on bright golden yellow petals - 'Tiger Eye Gold'
- 'Cherry Brandy'
- 'Cherry Brandy', 'Denver Daisy', 'Indian Summer', Rudbeckia hirta var. angustifolia, Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherimma, 'Sonara', 'Tiger Eye Gold'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Rudbeckia
- Species:
- hirta
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern United States, NC
- Wildlife Value:
- Butterflies attracted to nectar at the flowers.This plant provides nectar for pollinators. It is a larval host plant to Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata) and to Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) which has one brood in the north and two broods from May-September in the rest of its range. American goldfinches, eat the seeds in the fall.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Black-Eyed Susans are moderately deer resistant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Open
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Small brown seeds late summer. Displays from July to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 2"-4" whorl of involucral bracts that flower on a head with 10 to 20 bright orange-yellow to red rays surrounding a dark purplish brown egg-shaped dome. Blooms from May to July, producing long-lasting cut flowers and cutting encourages the plants to send out more blossoms. They are yellow to darker yellow at the center.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Spatulate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Lower leaves are larger and taper into long stalks. Margins are smooth, to prominent serrate teeth. Prominent veins and winged petioles. They are a basal rosette of hairy leaves that emerge early in the spring.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- 1-2' tall grooved bristly stems that are simple or limited-branching stem; rough and hairy.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Salt
