Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta
Above: Black-eyed Susan on banks of Marion Dunn Pond in Madison, Wisconsin (7/8/19).
Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta
Black-eyed Susan is a native flower that grows 1'-3' tall. Black-eyed Susan prefers full to partial sun; moderate moisture to wet; prairies, meadows and roadsides.
The yellow flower heads are 2" to 3" wide and have 8-21 long rays circling a dark brown, domed disk that is 1/2"-3/4" wide.
Blooms June - October.
Above: Black-eyed Susan bracts surrounding the base of the flower are linear-oblong, widely spreading, and densely covered with long stiff hairs. Inner bracts are shorter than the outer bracts.
Above: Back side of Black-eyed Susan leaf. The leaves are variable in shape and size (see line drawing). They can be from 2 to 7 inches long (longer then wide). The longer and wider leaves near the base of the plant with the upper becoming more linear. The edges are usually toothless (or with fine teeth) and the surfaces are covered in short stiff hairs (7/25/19).
For more information on the Black-eyed Susan, visit Wikipedia.
Or, visit the UW-Madison Wisconsin State Herbarium website page about Black-eyed Susan.
Or, visit the UW-Madison Wisconsin Master Gardener website page on Black-eyed Susan.
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Above: Top side of Black-eyed Susan leaf with hairs. (7/25/19)
Above: Black-eyed Susan on bank of Marion Dunn Pond. (7/14/20)
Above: Black-eyed Susan on bank of Marion Dunn Pond. (7/30/20)
Above: Black-eyed Susan? on Agawa Path. Really long petals and bracts curl vs. droop. Variety/subspecies? (Covina California Rudbeckia Hirta?) (8/19/18)
Above: Black-eyed Susan specimen collected in Taylor County on September 23, 1978.
Above: Black-eyed Susan botanical illustration by Alice Lounsberry circa 1899.
Above: 1828 Black-eyed Susan illustration.
Above: Black-eyed Susan line drawing.
