Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) are native to North America and one of the most popular wildflowers grown. They tend to blanket open fields, often surprising the passerby with their golden-yellow beauty.
Members of the sunflower family, the “black eye” is named for the dark, brown-purple centers of its daisy-like flower heads. The plants can grow to over 3 feet tall, with leaves of 6 inches, stalks over 8 inches long and flower diameter of 2 to 3 inches.
Butterflies, bees, and a variety of insects are attracted to the flowers for the nectar. As they drink the nectar, they move pollen from one plant to another, causing it to grow fruits and seeds that can move about easily with the wind.
These plants bloom from June to October. Note that they can be territorial in that they tend to squash out other flowers growing near them.
Black-eyed Susans are good for cut flowers; they also work well for borders or in containers.
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
How far to cut back in fall/winter
I have several of these wonderful plants that were planted this summer. I was pretty good about dead-heading during bloom time but now our Northern California winter is fully upon us and they are a mess. How far back to I cut them and when? I'm nervous about cutting back too far or not enough...suggestions?
reseeding
I cut the heads off after the first hard freeze. They are all black and dead. Should I stir the seeds in the dirt to reseed for next year or do I wait until spring to seed? Which is best to make sure they come back?
can seeds be planted from cutbacks before frost ?
should the seeds from dried autumn blooms be saved for next spring?naturally they would fall and scatter.
Black eyed Susan
Plants bloom first two years nicely now....just lots of leaves and no flowers. What to do?
leaves but no flowers
Not sure what to do…
From time to time, people have written of this problem. Before you can do anything you need to know what the problem is; here is our advice. See also the info under “Pests” above:
• 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.
• One possibility is that your soil has become depleted … trying enriching it, but not too much. If they are super cramped, they may need to be divided. Another possibility is that surrounding plants or structures may have changed since last year and your ladies are getting less sun.
• 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.
• If this happened overnight, it would normally be a deer or rabbit or animal. They usually leave the stem and go for the leaves.
Otherwise, look carefully at the leaves. Caterpillars tend to chew holes in the leaves. Slugs chews ragged, irregular shaped holes in leaves that cross the veins. See our pests and critter library to I.D. and learn more: http://www.almanac.com/topics/gardening/pests-and-problems
Black-eyed Susan.
My flowers have, what seems to be, a much smaller flower coming out of the black part of my flowers.?
black eyed susan vine
i am growing a susan vine, she's beautiful. only problem i am having at the moment is that some of the leaves have little holes and i don't understand what can be doing this to my susan vine. please help...
little holes in leaves
There are foliage-loving bugs about! 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.
can i sow BLACK-EYED SUSANS seeds in july or early august
I live on the island of jamaica,where it is hot and sunny all year round.can i sow BLACK-EYED SUSANS seeds in july or early august
Black Eyed Susans
The deer loved my black eyed Susans this year. Ate them before they bloomed. They were beautiful last year.
Black Eyed Susan & Deer
I had the same problem with deer however when I planted lavendar in between each plant, the deer and bunny’s won’t come near them as they hate the smell. Now I have a yellow and purple landscape.
Black eye susans
I plant my black eye Susan's and they die. Brown leaves and dry out I do water them every day sun shine. The thing I dont understand my neighbors grows them with no problem she splits them and gives me some but does not grow the neighbors multiple. I dont understand what can I be doing wrong. Help!
Black Eyed Susan
I am looking after a friends Black Eyed Susan in Spain. The leaves are yellowing at the bottom of the plant. Is this caused by over watering or something else? The plant is in full sun most of the day.
yellow leaves on Black-eyed Susan
This could be a sign of overwatering; is the soil constantly wet? Does the plant sit in a puddle? If so, lift it and let it drain.
Yellow leaves could also be cause by a fungal pathogen. Let it dry out if wet and give it air, outdoors in the sun, if possible. Also, when you water, water at the base (ground or root level) of the plant, not from the top down. This condition should not be fatal to the plant but we can not say for certain.
Black eyed susan
I live in Alaska just bought a Susan and I had no Idea they grew that tall. Our growing season is short so will they go that tall here in Alaska. Wished I could get colored ones also but have not seen them here first time having one. Thank you
Black-eyed Susan's in Alaska
As noted above these plants can get to about 3 feet tall. Hard to tell how a black-eyed Susan will do in Alaska, especially as it becomes acclimated (meaning to the location, light, etc.). Give it a couple/few years to get established (remember the perennial adage: first they sleep, then they creep, then leap). There are many circumstances that might affect its growth and remember that the one you bought may have been forced to bloom and stand as tall as it is. That may/may not happen exactly the same way again. Enjoy it!
Rudbeckia
Can I grow these in Florida, zone 9a . Will they be perrinial?
Black-eyes Susan Zone 9a
Yes, nine Rudbeckia species are native to Florida and commonly grown. It’s hardy in USDA Zone 9a to -6.6 °C (20 °F). It’s a great plant, attractive to bees, butterflies and birds.
It’s a perennial in South Florida, but in North Florida and other areas of the U.S., it is grown as an annual.
Black eyed susans
I was wondering if I need to cut back my black eyed Susan’s this spring. The stems of my plants are all broken and bent at ground level due to a snowy winter.
Black Eyed Susan's
I planted a couple of plants last year. When will they show signs of returning?
Black Eyed Susans
It depends on your location and when your last spring frost is! You should expect to see them come up a couple weeks after your last spring frost date, and they usually bloom starting in early summer.
When to trim back
Planted a half dozen plants from 4" pots. Got nice flowers but now have the stems and black pods. Greens are starting to brown. We are hosting a party in a few weeks and my bride wants me to cut them down. I intended to let them re-seed naturally and fill in the border over the coming years. If I have to cut them back now and save the pods, how will I know if I have seeds for the Spring. I see in another note you recommended a jar with something to keep them moist. Help an old man, please. I'm so happy to have them!!!
Harvesting Black-Eyed Susan Seeds
Snip off the pods and let them dry for a few days on a countertop. Then, once the pods are sufficiently dry, break them apart over paper towels (so you can contain and keep track of the tiny black seeds). Collect the seeds and store them in an envelope in the fridge, then plant in the late spring or early summer. You’ll have the best success if you wait until soil temperatures reach at least 70 degrees F.
Black eyed Susanbplants
I have a field full of these plants, I cut flowers for vases all summer... I have some smaller plants and dug them up to transplant in flower bed or in containers... would the container plants live through the winter in my house? Then transplant in spring back outside?
Wintering Black-Eyed Susans
Hi Liliz,
Yes, the plants would survive through the winter. They prefer full sun, but would survive in partial sun. The plants would not flower during the winter, however.
Black eyed susans
I have several varieties of black eyed susan but some get too tall for the area where I have them planted. I thought I had taken out the tall ones last year but still came back. Can I cut these down in the early spring to inhibit the height during the season?
Black eyed susan
My black eyed susans look good but only a single flower bloomed and bees won't go to it. Doesn't look black and to have good Pollen. I am totally confused. I fertilized them recently and was lacking at watering and so starring watering.
I feel totally at a loss and novice to growing these flower's.
Any help deeply appreciated?
Black eyed Susans
When I bought my house 15 years ago I had a beautiful patch of black eyed Susan's. Now just a few sparse plants pop up each year. Truthfully, I did nothing to help them grow as I assumed the just come back. I bought some some seeds to try to replenish the patch. It is July, can I plant them now? I live in Pennsylvania
Planting Black-eyed Susans
Black-eyed Susans are indeed perennials that will return year-after-year but not forever! Usually, they are in full bloom in July when it’s hot and sunny. We tend to seed Black-Eyed Susans in the spring once the soil temperature has reached 70°F for best seed germination. In many parts of North America, the planting period is March to May. The plant will flower June to September. Germination takes 7 to 30 days. That said, you could try seeding later in the summer or fall for flowers next year. This is how wild flowers reseed themselves. Why not. They’re just seeds. See what happens. If you wait until spring, store seeds in a cool, dry place.
Black eyes susans
I have black eyed susan's that are e feet tall but have yet to bloom. I live in zip code 20185 for zone purposes. When should they bloom this year?
Thanks
Pages