Rudbeckia hirta - SWEET BLACK-EYED SUSAN (short-lived & re-seeding)
Shorter-lived perennial or even biennial, that persists in the garden due to self-seeding. Very easy to grow, adaptable and opportunistic - it will fill the gaps - but you can recognize it for it's fuzzy leaves and easily reduce, if needed.
Blooms for long period of time.
Excellent wildlife support - bees and flies, as well as some wasps, butterflies, and beetles, seeds occasionally feed goldfinches.
Blooming Time: from June to September, with the peak in early to mid summer.
Size: usually 2' tall x 1' wide (on rich soils up to 3' x 2')
USDA Zones: 3-9
Culture: sun, half shade, very adaptable to many soil types, tolerates clay, moist, medium moist, medium-dry soil. Avoid waterlogged soils! Drought tolerant
Moisture Needs: from medium-moist (average), to medium-dry or dry
Origin: Native to most of USA and Canada, see the USDA distribution map. Can be found on variety of habitats from prairies, meadows, plains, ditches, road sides, etc. Often is part of prairie or native wildflower seed mixes, which helped to distribute this plant.
Deer/Rabbit Resistant: yes / yes
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: yes / yes. "The bees collect pollen or suck nectar, and include Little Carpenter bees, Leaf-Cutting bees, Green Metallic and other Halictine bees, Andrenid bees, and others. Some Andrenid bees, such as Andrena rudbeckiae and Heterosarus rudbeckiae, prefer visiting the flowers of Black-Eyed Susan and closely related plants. Among the flies that visit the flowers, Syrphid flies, Bee flies, and Tachinid flies are well represented. The caterpillars of Chlosyne nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot) feed on the leaves." www.illinoiswildflowers.info
Attracts Hummingbirds: no
Plant Combinations: Flower beds in sun or half shade, prairie gardens, pollinator gardens, cut flower gardens, naturalistic gardens or for naturalization. can be paired with majority of common native and non-native perennials.Good with Echinacea, Achillea, Agastache, Amsonia, summer blooming Allium, Asclepias tuberosa, Aster, Baptisia, Calamintha, Coreopsis, Gaura, Knautia, Liatris, Monarda, Nepeta, Oenothera, Penstemons, Platycodon (taller ones), Rudbeckia, Salvia nemorosa hybrids, tall Sedum, Solidago, Stachys, Vernonia lettermannii, taller Veronica, Yucca, and grasses like Bouteloa, Muhlenbergia, Sporobolus, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum or Panicum.
Pot Size: square 3.5" x 4" deep perennial pot
Picture Copyright: US Perennials
Rudbeckia hirta - SWEET BLACK-EYED SUSAN (short-lived & re-seeding)
Shorter-lived perennial or even biennial, that persists in the garden due to self-seeding. Very easy to grow, adaptable and opportunistic - it will fill the gaps - but you can recognize it for it's fuzzy leaves and easily reduce, if needed.
Blooms for long period of time.
Excellent wildlife support - bees and flies, as well as some wasps, butterflies, and beetles, seeds occasionally feed goldfinches.
Blooming Time: from June to September, with the peak in early to mid summer.
Size: usually 2' tall x 1' wide (on rich soils up to 3' x 2')
USDA Zones: 3-9
Culture: sun, half shade, very adaptable to many soil types, tolerates clay, moist, medium moist, medium-dry soil. Avoid waterlogged soils! Drought tolerant
Moisture Needs: from medium-moist (average), to medium-dry or dry
Origin: Native to most of USA and Canada, see the USDA distribution map. Can be found on variety of habitats from prairies, meadows, plains, ditches, road sides, etc. Often is part of prairie or native wildflower seed mixes, which helped to distribute this plant.
Deer/Rabbit Resistant: yes / yes
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: yes / yes. "The bees collect pollen or suck nectar, and include Little Carpenter bees, Leaf-Cutting bees, Green Metallic and other Halictine bees, Andrenid bees, and others. Some Andrenid bees, such as Andrena rudbeckiae and Heterosarus rudbeckiae, prefer visiting the flowers of Black-Eyed Susan and closely related plants. Among the flies that visit the flowers, Syrphid flies, Bee flies, and Tachinid flies are well represented. The caterpillars of Chlosyne nycteis (Silvery Checkerspot) feed on the leaves." www.illinoiswildflowers.info
Attracts Hummingbirds: no
Plant Combinations: Flower beds in sun or half shade, prairie gardens, pollinator gardens, cut flower gardens, naturalistic gardens or for naturalization. can be paired with majority of common native and non-native perennials.Good with Echinacea, Achillea, Agastache, Amsonia, summer blooming Allium, Asclepias tuberosa, Aster, Baptisia, Calamintha, Coreopsis, Gaura, Knautia, Liatris, Monarda, Nepeta, Oenothera, Penstemons, Platycodon (taller ones), Rudbeckia, Salvia nemorosa hybrids, tall Sedum, Solidago, Stachys, Vernonia lettermannii, taller Veronica, Yucca, and grasses like Bouteloa, Muhlenbergia, Sporobolus, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum or Panicum.
Pot Size: square 3.5" x 4" deep perennial pot
Picture Copyright: US Perennials