Native Plant of the Month | Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hirta)

One of almost 20 species of Rudbeckia, all native to North America and grown for their showy flowers, black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is an annual or biennial or short-lived perennial that blooms from June to September with golden yellow ray-shaped petals surrounding an almost black, central cone of small disk flowers, a classic Rudbeckia flower. It is easily grown from seed and will bloom its first year if sown early enough. Though plants may not last more than a year or 2, black-eyed Susan self-seeds vigorously, so plantings last and last.

With hairy lance-shaped leaves and stems and growing 1-3 feet tall, black-eyed Susan is easily grown in average soils with average moisture in full sun and tolerates heat and drought. There are numerous varieties available in a wide range of colors, including ‘Prairie Sun,’ which has a green, not black, central button.

Black-eyed Susan is useful in perennial and annual borders, naturalistic gardens, meadows and cut flower gardens.

Other Rudbeckias to note are Rudbeckia ‘Autumn Sun,’ which towers over the back of the border with its 6-8-foot stems topped with bright yellow daisies, and Rudbeckia triloba ‘Prairie Glow,’ with its yellow-tipped orange petals.