Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia fulgida
Family Asteraceae
Black-eyed Susan is the golden engine of American perennial beds — a native that blooms straight through summer drought into fall, then feeds goldfinches all winter if you leave the seed heads standing. Gold flowers by the armload, cut or massed, for essentially no effort.
Hardy in zones 3 through 9 at a tidy two to three feet, it anchors native beds while bees, butterflies, and birds all take their turn. 'American Gold Rush' settled the old leaf-spot complaint. Mass a drift once and it carries the yard every year after.
Full Sun
Low water
Fast growth
Native to North America
Attracts butterflies
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing black-eyed susan? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries black-eyed susan — Rudbeckia fulgida, print Nº 54, “Black-eyed Susan.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what black-eyed susan actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-9Black-eyed Susan · Common problems
Common black-eyed susan problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Diseases
3 problems on file
Black-eyed Susan · Growing & propagation
Growing black-eyed susan
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Low once established
Soil- Any drained soil · pH 5.8 - 6.8
Fertilizer- None needed
Pruning- Spring (leave heads up for winter birds)
Cut to basal growth in spring; divide every 4 years when centers thin.
Spacing- 18 in
How to plant & propagate black-eyed susan
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Black-eyed Susan · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Black-eyed Susan · Yearly calendar
The black-eyed susan year, month by month
Jan
PruneDecember to May
BloomPruneBloomJuly to September
PruneDecember to May
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Black-eyed Susan · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Rudbeckia fulgida
Black-eyed Susan in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
- Nectary/insectary
- Keystone: Keystone perennial — hosts 20+ caterpillar species
- Attracts
- Butterflies, Bees, Birds
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
- Origin
- Native to North America
What black-eyed susan is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
Use- Massing
- Use
- Native beds
- Use
- Cut flowers
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Black-eyed Susan · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a black-eyed susan variety
'Goldsturm' (the standard); 'American Gold Rush' (spot-resistant upgrade); R. hirta 'Cherokee Sunset' (annual types)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia fulgida
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Rudbeckia fulgida
- Plant family
- Asteraceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- RUFU2
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Black-eyed Susan questions, answered straight.
Is black-eyed susan safe for kids and pets?
Black-eyed Susan is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate black-eyed susan?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where black-eyed susan sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily