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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I have a huge garden of BES.
I have a huge garden of BES. In a moment of insanity, I decided to pull up the stalks, rather than cut them down. (I cut off all the seed heads and threw them back onto the soil, as I normally do). The rest of the plant is still in the ground--just the flower stalks were pulled. I mistakenly thought they grow from seeds rather than the root systems. My question is, do you think that I have damaged the plants enough to seriously affect their growth next summer? Thanks.
If the roots are in the soil
If the roots are in the soil the plants should be OK next year. Removing the flower stalks doesn't hurt the plants. Black-eyed Susans will also sprout from the seeds that you left in the soil.
Yellow raised spots on my bes
What is this and how do I get rid of it
Hi I planted black eyed
Hi I planted black eyed susans this spring from plants they did really great all summer ( we live in the heart of Illinois) but now that the flowers have stopped blooming I cut back the dead stalks the blooms were on. Do I need to do anything before winter with the plants themselves. I love them and looked forward to the flowers all summer. Can't wait to see them in bloom next summer thank you.
Black eyed Susans are hardy
Black eyed Susans are hardy perennials and will survive in the ground. New shoots will grow from the roots in the spring.
Got some R. hirta seeds this
Got some R. hirta seeds this summer and couldn't resist planting them in a flat. Had excellent germination. Pricked out a couple of dozen seedlings and planted in individual small pots.
With frosts on the near horizon (Zone 5) I am concerned about taking the seedlings through the winter. Should I bring them inside under "grow lights?"
Suggestions, please?
can I plant BES from one
can I plant BES from one house to the other in early oct in Toronto? Canada?
Please let me know.
Hi, Sai: You can do this, but
Hi, Sai: You can do this, but you really need to hurry. It works best in the fall when before the first frost, which usually is around Oct. 6 in Toronto. However, when we were in Toronto a couple of weeks ago (we could have helped you!), we believe there was scattered frost then, non? In any event, divide and remove them carefully and make sure they are well watered periodically after transplanting. Add some fertilizer to their new holes, too. And cover with a thick layer of mulch to better insulate during their first winter in their new home. Thanks for asking!
I recently moved into my
I recently moved into my Dad's house and he has BES around the side of his house. They need to be separated and are beautiful right now. I want to move them and right now they get quite a bit of sun. I want to move some into the back of the house and it gets sun back there in the afternoon. Will they be alright there? And when can I transplant them?
Hi I planted black eyed susan
Hi I planted black eyed susan for 2 years straight, but they didnt come back. So I didnt bother to plant last year because I was very desappointed. I love black eyed susan so no long ago I went to the store and I saw some very healthy, nice black eyed susan and bought some. I planted them and put around the stop weed that black rug and after that i put mulch and after a little over a month they dont look as nice as when I bought them. Some are still up and some are down, they dont look fresh. As if they are begining to dry or rotten. Is there anything i can do to bring them alive again? I dont know if with Michigan weather if they will come back next year. We're suppose to get another rough winter again, thats the predection. Another question I have been buying tall beaded iris from Oregon, Georgia. I am wondering if they will make it through or not? Thanks in advance
Hi, Yemmit: Make sure that
Hi, Yemmit: Make sure that your Susies get one really good watering each week. Otherwise, back off. Leave the seedheads on for wildlife, plus to help you reseed for next year. Whether they come back, time will tell. You will need to remove Iris from the ground, divide, and clean, then get back into the ground well before first frost (use the Frost Dates tool under Gardening above). Again, time will tell. We wish your ladies well!
Hi Dear Almanac thanks so
Hi Dear Almanac thanks so much for replying I read before that iris should be remove from the ground and divided every 3 to 4 years. I just started ordering my Iris in June, some arrived in July and some arrived this month so I planted them the same day. I am expecting some tomorrow though so I dont think they need to be remove from the ground because I just planted them on less they need as you said for an specific reason. But my corcerns is if they can take zone 3 or zone 4, because I bring my cannas inside every year in late summer and want to make sure tall bearded iris are not like cannas or the banana plants. I will follow your advice on the Sussies thanks again.
I have my BES spread over
I have my BES spread over border beds. No other plants are having problems. I have beautiful flowers but the leaves are all wilted.There is no sign of any pests. Ground is well watered, there is mulch in the beds, and the other plants are thriving well. HELP
Hi, KV: If it's possible
Hi, KV: If it's possible (i.e., they are not too intermixed/-mingled with your other plants), try cutting back on their waterings (twice a week) but watering very deeply in order to encourage deep roots. Water in the morning, and only if they look wilted then. Otherwise, continue to take pleasure in the blooms' beauty and understand that it's often just the nature of these ladies' leaves to get bedraggled in summer's heat (don't we all?), not to mention get all tuckered out from producing their beautiful flowers.
Can I just take the spent
Can I just take the spent flower of My BES and plant it in the fall? Will the winter hurt the seed? I live in NJ so we do get a few months of cold and snow...
Yes, you can plant seeds in
Yes, you can plant seeds in the fall. Just make sure the flower heads are completely dry before cutting them off. Find the seeds in the flower heads and sprinkle them over the soil and cover with a thin layer of soil.
My BES is a vine and so far
My BES is a vine and so far it seems that others' BES are not. Do I cut the vine back in the Fall if so, by how much? Could it be that I have an altogether different plant. ? Thanks
Hi Christine, Black-eyed
Hi Christine,
Black-eyed Susans come in two different varieties. One is a bush variety and the other is a vine (Thunbergia alata) that you often see in hanging baskets. It is a perennial and can be cut back in the fall. In colder regions it is recommended to bring the plant indoors for the winter months.
I'm a little confused. My
I'm a little confused. My daughter just bought a house and I want to transplant some of my abundant Black-eyed Susan in her yard. Some say the best time to transplant is spring, some say fall. Is one better than the other? If I transplant in fall I assume I need to wait until it is done blooming. Thanks for any advice.
We live in Oklahoma. Not sure
We live in Oklahoma. Not sure if when/how we do it is standard rule of thumb.
Every September/October for the last eight years, we divide/transplant black-eyed Susan's to different spots in our yard, parentals yard, and give to friends. Bloom like crazy following spring.
When done blooming, I look for stalks that aren't quite ready to fall off at the slightest hint of wind. Cut the stalk to 'bout 4-6 inches high. Carefully dig up a small section. Transplant to new spot immediately.
I cut a few flowers from my
I cut a few flowers from my Grandfathers garden, and I would like to continue to grow them in my garden. How can I do this?
Well, you have to plant a
Well, you have to plant a seed. Once the flowers are cut, they can't be used again. So, you can either buy the same seeds from a garden store. They're really cheap. Or, you can leave some of the flowers on the plant and when the seed pod is dry, you can simply pull them from the seed head, dry on a table, and plant next year in the spring when you're supposed to do so.
I live on the Oregon coast
I live on the Oregon coast where it rarely gets over 65 degrees and has high humidity. I love BES and wonder what variety is best for our climate...
I planted Blackeyed Susans
I planted Blackeyed Susans last year and they did very well. This year they came back and are very anemic. About half the steams and flowers are a lot smaller than last year. I was looking forward to these spreading? Any idea what could be going on? Thank you!
Hi, Sp: First, be sure to
Hi, Sp: First, be sure to check them for pests as listed above. 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.
Thank you so much for your
Thank you so much for your reply. I know BES don't really like fertilizer. What would you suggest I enrich my soil with? Bone meal?? Also, last Winter was very cold with a lot of snow here in MD. Could that have caused this? Thanks again!
Hi, again, Sp: The challenge
Hi, again, Sp: The challenge here is that only some of your plants are underperforming. This usually means that these underperformers have not been getting or are not getting enough of something, whether it's space, warmth, water, nutrients, sun, etc. Bonemeal would not be a good choice, as its phosphorus is not really needed that much. Try a light (up to half-strength) solution of something like 10-5-20 (nitrogen-phosphorus-potash) once a week. Also, add a light layer of mulch to help retain moisture. Could it be cold damage? Well... possibly. Cold is bad, but then again, snow is good (insulator). Keep at it!
I recently purchased some
I recently purchased some distressed black-eyed Susan's that still have great blooms. They are in 1 quart pots and I need to plant them now. Spacing and depth is my concern. Please help with an answer.
Hi, Cec: The distressing is a
Hi, Cec: The distressing is a little distressing, as we don't know what this was. Plant them at the same depth they are now in the pots, but in new, good soil -- topsoil amended with a little compost. It doesn't need to be too rich (actually, that's bad), but it needs to be good. We say plant about 18 inches apart. They will self-seed and fill in eventually. Too close together, and they are susceptible to disease. Farther apart to start means more air circulation. Hopefully, your gals are well enough to stand up on their own; if not, stake them till they get healthy. Water well and monitor. We hope they feel better!
I planted five plants in
I planted five plants in early spring.
All have bloomed and ground well.
The center plant has had the yellow peddles disappear. new flowers grow and the same thing happens. (just the yellow peddles) Now starting to happen to the nearest two plants. Your thoughts?
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