Jan–MarApr–JunJul–SepOct–Dec
Planting
Days to maturity
Seasonal yields
Sow indoors · Direct sow · Transplant outdoors
← Explore Plants
Plant · P-1067
Black Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Black-eyed Susan is a native prairie and meadow wildflower grown for its solitary daisy-like blooms of golden-yellow rays around a dark brown central cone, held on rough, hairy stems above a low rosette of basal leaves. It typically behaves as an annual, biennial or short-lived perennial, germinating in fall and flowering from summer into early autumn the following year. Bees, butterflies and seed-eating birds all use the plant, and it readily reseeds itself to hold a planting from year to year.
Record at a glance
Growing profile
- Sun
- Full Sun
- USDA zone
- USDA 3–7
- Soil
- Clay · Loam · Sand
- Moisture
- Dry · Moderate · Moist · Well-Drained
Vertical layer
Herbaceous- Soil pH
- 6–8
- Plant type
- Biennial
- Mature height
- 24–36 in
- Mature spread
- 12–24 in
- Plant spacing
- 12–36 in
- Root type
- Tap
- Spread pattern
- Seed
Keep exploring
Similar plants
Discover more plants with shared forest layers or growing conditions.
Adzuki Bean
Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & H.Ohashi
Adzuki is the odd one out among the beans in this group: a very hot summer is actively too hot for it, since heat above about 35C damages…
Herbaceous · USDA 3–11
Agrimony
Agrimonia eupatoria
Agrimony is a slender herbaceous perennial of sunny, disturbed ground across Europe and western Asia, grown mainly for the tannin-rich leaves…
Herbaceous · USDA 5–9
Alfalfa
Medicago sativa
Alfalfa is a deep-rooted perennial legume grown worldwide as one of the richest forage crops available, its taproot running six metres or…
Herbaceous · USDA 4–11
Alsike Clover
Trifolium hybridum
Alsike Clover fixes nitrogen in wet, acid ground too cold and heavy for red clover to thrive in, and its flowers keep bees working all season…
Herbaceous · USDA 5–9
Amaranth Greens
Amaranthus tricolor
Amaranth greens are one of the few leafy vegetables actually built for peak summer heat rather than one that just tolerates it - sown once…
Herbaceous · USDA 2–11
Angelica
Angelica archangelica
Angelica is a very large, short-lived umbellifer grown for its candied stem and aromatic root - the thick young stalks are peeled and boiled…
Herbaceous · USDA 5–7
The deeper layer
Plan what comes next.
- Primary
- Locked ecological function
- Secondary
- Locked ecological function
- Byproduct
- Locked ecological function
Behind the record
- Locked research reference
- Locked research reference
- Locked research reference