Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia Hirta)

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia Hirta) 

Black-eyed Susan grows one to three feet tall. It bears two to three-inch yellow blossoms with dark centers surrounded by 10 to 20 daisy-like yellow petals. It bears one to several flower heads per plant. The stems are slender and covered with tiny hairs. Its two to seven-inch leaves are slender, toothless, and covered with hairs. It prefers moist to dry, well-drained soil. It grows in sun and partial shade in meadows, prairies, fields, and dry, open, deciduous woodlands.

This native wildflower, Rudbeckia hirta, plays a vital role in supporting pollinators—its nectar attracts bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects, while its seed heads feed songbirds like goldfinches in late summer. It also serves as a host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly caterpillar. 

Sources:

University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension — Rudbeckia hirta (Black‑eyed Susan)

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Rudbeckia hirta Species Profile

Illinois Wildflowers — Black‑eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Missouri Botanical Garden — Rudbeckia hirta

USDA NRCS PLANTS Database — Rudbeckia hirta Plant Guide

Prairie Moon Nursery — Rudbeckia hirta (Black‑eyed Susan)

Minnesota Wildflowers — Rudbeckia hirta (Black‑eyed Susan)

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