Black-Eyed Susan in our yard with a tiny bee on it.
Credit: Sue Day
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EmailBotanical name: Rudbeckia hirta and other species
Plant type: Flower
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun
Flower color: Red, Orange, Yellow
Black-eyed Susans can be long-blooming annuals, biennials, or perennials and are one of the most common wildflowers grown. They have daisy-like flower heads and deep brown-purple centers. These flowers can tolerate tough conditions and are good for cut flowers; they are also good for borders or in containers.
Planting
- Plant seeds in moist, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.
- Black-eyed Susans grow to be between 1 and 3 feet tall and can spread between 12 to 18 inches, so plant seeds closer to prevent lots of spreading or plant further apart to make a nice border.
Care
- Check your plants regularly to see if they need watering. Make sure they don't dry out.
- Divide perennial types every 3 to 4 years to ensure healthy plants and to prevent excessive spreading.
- Be sure to remove faded/dead flowers to prolong blooming.
- You can cut back black-eyed Susans after they flower and a second, smaller bloom may occur in late fall.
Pests
- Slugs and snails
- Aphids
- Powdery mildew
- Rust
- Smut
- Leaf spots
Recommended Varieties
- Becky Mixed, which offers a variety of colors for your garden, such as lemon-yellow, golden-yellow, dark red, and reddish-brown.
- Sonora, which has bright yellow flowers.
- Toto, which is a dwarf type and ideal for containers.
E-cards
Click here to send a free e-card of this pretty black-eyed susan.
Special Features
- Attracts Butterflies
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Comments
Black eyed Susan
I found some black eyed Susan's in my grandma garden. I accidentally ripped off the leaves but can I put the roots in a jar of water on a ledge by sunlight?? If I do this will they come back??
frost resistant
WE bought a B E S last year,flowered constantly,but following a very hard frost,snow & wind,all that is left is just bare stems...will it return,,didn't cut it back,because the label said not required???
winter care
Whether your black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia sp.) will return will depend in part on whether it is an annual, biennial, or perennial type. Is it a particular species and/or cultivar? If so, you can ask a nursery as to whether it is expected to come back next year. Rudbeckia hirta can be a biennial, annual, or short-lived perennial depending on where you live.
Annuals will flower the first year and then die. Biennials will produce leaves and stems the first year; the second year they will flower and then die. Perennials will live for several years.
Cutting perennials back after flowering can encourage a smaller fall bloom in some types. Also for perennial types, you can cut the dead stems back in winter in preparation for new growth in spring.
In case your plant is a perennial, you might want to cover the area with mulch to protect the roots. Then in spring, you can see if new growth starts up.
Hope this helps!
black eyed susan seeds
I have newly harvested black eyed susan seed and want to know if I can plant them in my aero garden now, or do the seeds need dormant time.
black-eyed Susan seeds
Of course, if the black-eyed Susan seeds would normally fall to the ground, we would hardly notice them in their dormant period. So it makes sense that they would thrive, albeit slowly, in your aero garden. However, about this: Try this two ways. Plant some seeds in your aero garden and put some aside in an envelope. (Think of it as a seed packet.) See which do best and proceed on that course in future. Let us know how it goes.
black-eyed susan seeds
Should I maybe put them in the fridge for a week or two first, to "trick" them into thinking they have wintered over??
Rudbeckia looks cut; all flowers gone but leaves still there.
My Black-eyed Susans have lost their heads! All the flowers look cut off but the leaves and stems are in place. What could be doing this?
bare-stemmed b'eyed Susans
This is probably the work of wildlife: deer, groundhogs, even rabbits will eat such a bloom buffet. Your plants may flower again this season. If they do not, it might because it's too late in season. At least take heart that the plants are not dead. They should flower again next year. To hinder critters next year, hang a bar of soap nearby (the aroma and/or taste can be a repellant) or dowse the plants with pepper spray (do it again after a rain). As a last resort, you might need or want to try fencing or screening. Whatever happens, don't lose YOUR head over a solution.
leaves and stems are light green
My plants start out healthy and green but as the summer goes on the stems and leaves start turning a dull green. The flowers are still nice but the plant itself doesn't look healthy. Any ideas?
The leaves of a healthy
The leaves of a healthy black-eyed susan are usually "dull green" so this may be normal. If the leaves, however, start to brown or black, you could have a fungus. If this is a problem, pinch off those leaves. In general, be sure to water at soil line, never overhead, and be sure to thin and avoid overcrowding to ensure good air circulation.
Black eye Susan
My Black-Eye Susan plants are getting black spots on the leaves. Why is this happening and how do I treat this?
If the black spots look like
If the black spots look like lesions, you have leaf spot (a fungus). This is often related to humidity or lack of air circulation. To treat, remove the infected leaves at the end of the growing season. In the future: 1. Make sure your plants are spaced to avoid over-crowding. 2. Avoid overhead watering. 3. Clean up the foliage this fall so that fewer fungal spores overwinter. 4. In the spring, spray an all-purpose fungicide (containing chlorothalonil) to reduce disease spread.
Timing
When is the best time to plant the Black-eye Susan?
Your planting time depends on
Your planting time depends on your USDA hardiness zone. For most zones, planting time is over by June/July. However, you can plant in Zone 10 and 11 in Oct/Nov. Essentially the soil temperatures should be at least 70 degrees F. The seeds take 7 days to 30 days to germinate (check your seed packet) so blooming time is generally June through August in most regions.
kris
how long before i see flowers if planted from seeds?
Germination is 7 to 30 days,
Germination is 7 to 30 days, depending on variety and conditions.
black eyed susans wilting
just planted them yesterday. they looked good for @ 24 hours but are now droopy. i watered them pretty thoroughly. ideas?
Sounds like it's just
Sounds like it's just drooping from the transplant. Keep that root ball well-watered for at least a week. These flowers are Sun worshippers and need a lot of sun, but it can help to shade them from the heat the first few days after transplanting.
Can I transplant my blackeyed susans now in July (move them0
Please let me know if I can moved all my blackeye susans to another area now in July and replant them, thanks.
Ideally, you'd cut down and
Ideally, you'd cut down and remove dead foliage in late fall and then transplant in spring. You can transplant in fall, too, though you may have some seed drop.
Black eyed Susans
Typically, how far would I cut / trim back these flowers in the fall, to the ground?
Once the flowers are
Once the flowers are dormant--in the fall--you can prune dead stems back to the ground and discard them. Use sharp pruners (we like scissor-type). Add mulch to protect roots from freezing weather. This is also a good time to divide and transplant if needed.
Black eye susans
I've raised These flowers for years I have the middle of flower and stem but the yellow part around the black middle are gone whats happening?
Pests
Something is eating our plants. We have a lot of rabbits in the area, could they be eating our black eyed susans?
Rabbits do like this plant.
Rabbits do like this plant. There are also foliage-loving bugs. Go out after dark with a flashlight and examine your plant for slugs, earwigs, whiteflies, etc. (Google for photos or see our pest library). Once you identify the pest, you can figure out a control to deter it.
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