Rudbeckia hirta

RHS Plant Profile
black-eyed Susan

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black-eyed Susan Paul Harris
black-eyed Susan visionspictures.com
black-eyed Susan visionspictures.com

Other common names

brown Betty, brown daisy, English bull's eye, golden Jerusalem, hairy coneflower, marguerite jaune, poor man's daisy, wild golden glow, yellow daisy, bull daisy

Synonyms

Rudbeckia gloriosa

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial Annual Biennial
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A biennial or short-lived perennial often grown as an annual, with oval to diamond-shaped basal leaves that are bristly and sometimes toothed. Daisy-like flowerheads are produced on leafy, upright stems from summer to autumn, with prominent dark brown central cones and spreading yellow petals

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 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
East–facing or 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

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asteraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
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
Unresolved
Plant Range
Canada & USA

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 more detailed advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown with gentle heat in spring. Light is needed for germination. Harden off before planting out

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Prairie planting
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead to remove spent flowers

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, to leaf and bud eelworms, and to slugs on young growth

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, especially on dry soils