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.
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Missing petals
Planted them several years ago, everything normal. This year some or all of the petals are missing from the flowers. What could be doing this? Doesn't seem like the pests you list would focus just on petals. It has been dry this summer but I have been watering. Surely it wouldn't be fertilization needed because that would affect the whole plant. Any ideas?
black-eyed susans problems
I haven’t had missing flower petals from black-eyed susans but this has happened with my coneflowers. This is usually a mite issue; they suck the nutrients and distort the flowers so there are missing petals. You need to cut back the inflected flowers to the ground in the fall and destroy all the infected parts (trash them, not compost).
thanks
appreciate the suggestion. I did look after dark with a flashlight and saw only two different small beetles that appeared innocent of the crime. I might try a soapy spray because they are apparently going to look this way for months unless something is done and it would be nice to have some actual flowers this summer.
First-year blooms?
We bought our house last year, and I planted some pots of black-eyed susans in our front beds. They produced blooms all summer and apparently dropped seeds, but I stopped watering them in the fall, anticipating a freeze that never came, and the original plants died. Now, it's the following summer and the seeds have sprouted and grown to over two feet tall, but I'm not seeing any blooms or buds. Is it possible that I have a variety that only blooms in the second year? Can I expect to see any blooms this summer?
Black-eyed Susan
There are 25 species of Rudbeckia including perennials, biennials, and annuals. It is possible you have a biennial, which would explain the absence of flower buds. Without knowing the parentage, it’s not possible to say for certain if you will see blooms this year.
Blackeyed susans
I purchased black eyed susans that were healthy and full of buds for flowers. I planted in good garden soil and watered. it seems that something is eating the flower buds. What should I use to deter whatever is eating the plant...
buggy black-eyed susans
Several people have written (below) of this problem. Before you can do anything you need to know what the problem is; here is our advice from below. 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
We hope this helps!
Black eyed Susan did not return
My husband bought me a beautiful BES plant from the florist last July. I planted in the ground and it did well for the rest of the summer. I plucked off some dead heads that went to seed and sprinkled them down in the excess dirt around the plant. It is now the middle of May, and nothing is coming up. All of my other perennials are up, even the mums are coming up. Should i just consider it dead or wait a little while longer before planting something else in it's place?
trimming black eyed Susans
My black eyed Susans are growing quickly ( 12-18 inches now) and crowding out my Sweet Williams. Can I cut them back some to keep the other flowers from being smothered, or will that keep the BAS from blooming? I can just pull them up, but I think I need them for after the Sweet Williams stop blooming. If I do trim the back how tall should I leave them? If I cut them almost to the ground will they start over?? Thanks!
You can cut the flowers back
You can cut the flowers back to about 12 inches and the plant will get bushier and not grow as tall. You may loose some blossoms but the plant should bloom a little later in the summer.
Rudbeckia not Reappearing?
I am in zone 5, and late last Jul or August I planted several rudbeckia hirta (I think Denver Daisy but I can't remember for sure; the petals were burgundy toward the centers). It seemed to establish well and was still getting blooms well into October. I left it alone - didn't dead head anything or cut it back - until late December, when I did cut it to about 3 inches. I thought it was hardy and a self-seeder, and expected to see it back. It is now mid-May and there is no evidence of any rudbeckia. I planted it with double scoop coneflowers, all of which are coming up nicely. Is it too early still, or should I assume I lost it all? There is quite a bit of mulch down in the area, so maybe it wasn't able to seed well. I don't want to pull them and plant something else there if there is a chance it will still come up, but the empty spot needs filled with something. Thanks!
Rudbeckia hirta
Our sources suggest that this plant is usually grown as an annual but the native form can occur as a biennial—this info from the Wildflower Org: http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RUHI2
Other sources concur on the annual side; go ahead and plant something else.
I love Black eyed Susies~~ I
I love Black eyed Susies~~ I'm trying to find the exact name of the ones where the flower heads are smaller than usual and they are taller than the typical BES's. Thanking you in advance. Lisa
black-eyed susans
It is March, and my BESs are black balls atop dead-looking stalks.We had very little snow this year in the Hudson Valley in NY. Do I cut them back, or are they dead? They come back every year, and I've never touched them. Should I pull out the old stalks?
Thank you for your help,
brenda
cut to clean
Sure, you can cut off the stalks. The new growth will come from the soil (root), not last year’s stem.
When it says to "cut back"
When it says to "cut back" the BES after flowering, what exactly does that mean? How far back do you cut them? We had an especially dry and hot summer, so they may have dried out, though I tried my best to keep them wet.
Cut back BES to a couple of
Cut back BES to a couple of inches above the soil. They naturally die back in fall; dry conditions might have hastened the process, so your watering may be for naught. They should come back without that help.
good evening i was wondering
good evening i was wondering if you can take the dead heads dry them out and have seeds to restart black eyed susans in an another area in your yard......
You can certainly try it—or
You can certainly try it—or you could, because black-eyed Susans self-sow, you could transplant one of your existing plants into the new area and let it do the job for you . . . over time. That's one consideration: you would need to go through a couple of seasons to get results.
So try saving and then sowing the seed. Let us know how that goes for you. (We'll still be here!)
I live in Northern Ohio. When
I live in Northern Ohio. When is the best time to to transplant BES from pot to the soil! They are currently in bloom.
Transplant the flowers in the
Transplant the flowers in the fall before the ground freezes. You can put them in the ground anytime after labor day. Put some mulch around the plants to protect the roots.
Can you plant BES seeds in
Can you plant BES seeds in the Fall on Long Island? When is the best time(date) and will they bloom next year?
Thanks!
Black-eyed Susans need to be
Black-eyed Susans need to be planted in the spring when the soil temperature has reached 70 degrees F for best seed germination.
I just potted BES w golden
I just potted BES w golden creeping jenny. When winter comes, I'd like to take them inside. I've heard that the jenny can do well inside, but should I cut the BES down when I take the pot in, or will they continue to grow? Any special instructions when I take them in for the winter?
Hello, hoping you can provide
Hello, hoping you can provide some insight. We recently moved to a single family home and my landscaper planted a row of BES seeds for us in mid april. So far i see nothing at all. How long before i should see some sprouts? Does it normally take so long for BES? Sadly i am someone who is not knowledgeable about gardening at all.
Thank you!
It is likely the seeds didn't
It is likely the seeds didn't take or were eaten by something. Germination takes 7 to 30 days. Black-eyed Susan seeds should be planted when the soil temperature has reached 70 degrees F for best seed germination. If the weather where you are was like where we are, it was June before we had temps that high this year!
I have large landscaped bank,
I have large landscaped bank, over 3 years ago we had it professionally landscaped which included a large amount of BES, they bloomed each year and grew in size. This year none of the black eyed susan's came up through the entire bank, other flowers bloomed but none of the BES? Some leaves came up but nothing else? I don't know if they are dead for next year and if I need to replant or if there was reason none of them came up? Help. I live in CT and we had a lot of snow, some say that may have been the reason but everything else came up? Help. I am not sure if I need to replant all new ones next year?
Black eyed Susans are
Black eyed Susans are biennial plants. The first year they grow the leaves and the second year they bloom, self seed, and die. You may have cut off the flowers last year before they had a chance to reseed.
I have a clump of perennial
I have a clump of perennial BES - not sure if it is from roots or reseeding. The variety is native to WI, blooms in August, currently about 2 ft tall. Is it OK to divide now ( late June / early July )?
Also, I have some seeds harvested last fall, over wintered in the refrigerator, is it too late to plant?
I planted 2 small BES
I planted 2 small BES seedlings in May in a 12" pot. They have really shot up and seem to be flourishing although no blooms yet. Should I separate them, or will they live happily together in the same pot until next year? Should I be pruning them in some way?
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