Black Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia fulgida

Rudbeckia fulgida, the perennial Black Eyed Susan is one of the most popular perennials in the U.S. for good reason. It is not picky about soil. It loves the sun and will tolerate heat and humidity. It blooms profusely from mid-summer to fall.

My Aunt Charlotte and I admiring a clump of Rudbeckia Goldstrum in her yard in Connecticut.

If that isn't enough reason to grow this 3 foot tall beauty, try this: Its rhizomatous roots form clumps which can be easily divided, making it easy to propagate.

It also makes a good cut flower and bugs don't seem to bother it. Goldfinches dine on the seeds in the fall. Any that they leave will lend interest to the winter landscape.

The bright gold daisy-like flowers are perfectly accented by their chocolate brown centers. Few flowers are as showy as a Black Eyed Susan in full flush. They blend well with other plants and look especially stunning positioned alongside ornamental grasses.

The best way to use Rudbeckia fulgida in the garden is to plant it in large drifts in the perennial border or in a big circle under a tree in the center of the lawn. Some gardeners like to plant it behind a shorter flower to hide its coarse foliage.

Regular deadheading will prolong the bloom season. It will also prevent volunteers from popping up in unexpected places the following season. The clumps will become overcrowded in a few years if you don't divide them. Spring is the best time to do this.

This plant is well suited to zones 3-9a though it does not care for Florida.

Black-Eyed Susan Multitudes of golden, daisylike flowers with shiny black centers.

I love these and have tried to grow them but they refuse to live here. I don't know if the heat or the sandy soil (there are a lot of nasties in Florida soil) is what offends them.

Rudbeckia Goldsturm

Rubdeckia Goldsturm (sometimes misspelled Rudbeckia Goldstrum) is the most popular black eyed Susan perennial growing in the U.S. today.

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Rudbeckia Prairie Sun

Rudbeckia Prairie Sun is a member of the Rudbeckia hirta clan which are annual flowers. (Rudbeckia fulgida encompasses the perennial types.)

Ratibida Pinnata

Ratibida pinnata, a.k.a. Mexican hat plant or prairie coneflower, is a perennial wildflower native to Ontario, Canada and the eastern half of the United States.

Echinacea Plant

Echinacea plant, purple coneflowers. Echinacea purpurea plants. What the herb Echinacea is used for.

Green Coneflower

Green coneflower, Green Wizard Rudbeckia occidentalis Nutt. Also called black and western coneflower. Perennials.

Go back to Perennial Border Plants

These easy to grow perennial border plants will add bold color and year-round interest to your garden.

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