Rudbeckia hirta 'Sonora'

RHS Plant Profile
black-eyed Susan 'Sonora'

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black-eyed Susan 'Sonora' visionspictures.com
black-eyed Susan 'Sonora' visionspictures.com

RHS Recommended

Plants for pollinators
Annual Biennial

A compact, deciduous perennial often grown as an annual/biennial with green foliage and large, bright golden-yellow daisy-like flowers with a mahogany-brown central eyezone and a dark brown button-shaped centre, appearing from summer through until the first frosts

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

RHS Recommended: for People & Planet

RHS Recommended Plants for People & Planet

For Water Resilience

Plants for Flood Resilience

Plants that can help manage heavy rain by catching rainfall, slowing surface run-off, encouraging water into the soil or taking it up through their roots, contributing to flood resilient gardens.

Plants for both Wet and Dry Conditions

Plants that cope with changing soil moisture, including wet winters and extended summer dry. Once established, they grow as wet and dry conditions alternate.

For Temperature Resilience

Plants for Temperature Cooling

Plants that cool air temperature by providing shade, transpiration, or reflection to reduce heat impact on people, animals, soil or other ground surface.

Plants for Wind Shelter

Plants with dense canopies often grown as a tall thick hedge or grouping can block wind and shelter gardens, buildings and people.

For Carbon Storage

Plants for Carbon Storage

Plants that can take up carbon (CO₂) through photosynthesis and store it within the plant or deposit it by their roots into the soil.

For Biodiversity

Plants for Pollinators

Plants that have flowering properties (pollen and/or nectar) that are particularly beneficial for pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Growing conditions for maximum benefit

This plant will provide the maximum benefits if it is healthy and allowed to grow to maturity

For Bio-Diversity

  • Plants for Pollinators

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asteraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Genus
Rudbeckia may be annuals, biennials or rhizomatous herbaceous perennials, with simple or pinnately divided leaves and large daisy-like flower-heads with yellow or orange rays surrounding a prominent conical disk
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Best grown as a half-hardy annual. Grows well in moderately fertile, preferably heavy but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. See rudbeckia cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate with seed sown by gentle heat in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

deadhead spent flowers

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds if air circulation is poor