Rudbeckia hirta
Garden Plant Information

Rudbeckia hirta

 

Rudbeckia hirta - close-up

 

Name

Rudbeckia hirta (also called black-eyed Susan)

Genus  

Rudbeckia

Species

hirta

Cultivar/variety

 

General description

Herbaceous biennial grown for bright daisy-like flowers that bloom in summer and autumn. Very attractive to bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Season of interest

Flowers in summer and autumn.

Key horticultural features

  1. Habit – tall, quite lax and may need supporting by other plants or canes. H: up to 1.5m. S: .5m

  2. Stems – mid-green, hairy, round, lax.

  3. Leaves – lanceolate, green, hairy.

  4. Flowers – daisy-like, in shades from yellow through orange and red to dark brown. Dark brown centres that start with a glossy sheen and become raised as the flower matures.

Comment: the newly opened flower centres look rather like blocks of rich brown eye make-up, but no colour comes away when you brush your finger over them. It's oddly disappointing.

Cultural details

Aspect

Full sun to partial shade.

Soil

Reasonably fertile, well drained.

Hardiness

Hardy.

Maintenance

Dead head to prolong flowering. Cut back when flowers have finished. May be attacked by slugs and snails so might need protection.

Propagation

 

Start from seed in spring and plant out when frosts have finished. Will self seed.