Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan)

Native wildflower • Summer bloom • Pollinator favorite

Rudbeckia hirta delivers classic golden daisies with deep brown centers all summer. A signature native wildflower used in meadows, pollinator gardens, and cottage borders. Easy, tough, and wildly colorful.

Light

• Full sun
  
  

• Minimum 6 hours direct sun
  
  

• Handles heat well
  
  

More sun = more blooms.

Water

• Moderate water first year
  
  

• Once established: drought tolerant
  
  

• Water deeply, avoid shallow daily watering
  
  

Soil

• Tolerates poor soils
  
  

• Prefers well-drained sandy or loamy soil
  
  

• Avoid constant sogginess
  
  

Does surprisingly well in “difficult” native soils.

Hardiness

• USDA Zones 3–9
  
  

• Heat-tolerant
  
  

• Cold-hardy
  
  

Blooming

• Summer to early fall
  
  

• Excellent nectar and pollen
  
  

• Supports:
  
  

  • native bees
    
    

  • butterflies
    
    

  • beneficial insects
    
    

One of the brightest and most recognizable native flowers.

 Annual/Perennial Reality Check

Rudbeckia hirta can act:

• as a short-lived perennial OR
  
  

• a biennial
  
  

• OR an annual depending on site
  
  

BUT—
It reseeds beautifully, giving continuous displays year after year.

Growth Habit

• Upright clumping
  
  

• 1–3 ft tall
  
  

• Steady reseeder (not invasive)
  
  

• Excellent meadow colonizer
  
  

Planting Notes

Depth:

• Plant crown level
  
  

Spacing:

• 12–18 inches
  
  

• For meadow effect, cluster plant
  
  

Deadhead if you want tidy; leave seedheads if you want reseeding + winter bird food.

Best Landscape Uses

• Pollinator beds
  
  

• Meadow plantings
  
  

• Prairie borders
  
  

• Curbside pollinator strips
  
  

• Cottage style gardens
  
  

• Native meadow “start-up” plantings
  
  

Customer-friendly and extremely reliable.

Companion Plants

Pairs beautifully with:

• Coreopsis
  
  

• Liatris
  
  

• Echinacea
  
  

• Solidago
  
  

• Little bluestem
  
  

• Monarda
  
  

• Blackseeded grasses
  
  

• Native Value

High pollen and nectar value during peak pollinator season. Seedheads feed goldfinches and other birds in fall/winter.

⚠ Common Problems

Fading color or small blooms

Needs more sun.

Weak stems

Too much shade or rich soil.

No reseeding

Remove fewer seedheads and avoid heavy mulch.