Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan)

A genuine pollinator keystone confirmed both deer resistant and juglone tolerant, black-eyed Susan hosts the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly as a documented larval host while drawing named specialist mining bees - Andrena rudbeckiae and Heterosarus rudbeckiae - that favor this genus specifically.

Species Overview

Rudbeckia hirta, the iconic black-eyed Susan, is a fast-growing biennial or short-lived perennial native to eastern North America, growing 2 to 4 feet tall. Its classic bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with dark brown domed centers bloom from summer through early fall, self-seeding readily to sustain long-term stands even as individual plants are short-lived.

Application

• Classic prairie and meadow restoration - the archetypal native wildflower
• Pioneer species for new native plantings - fast establishment, self-seeding
• Plantings near black walnut and other juglone-producing trees
• Larval host habitat for the Silvery Checkerspot; specialist mining bee habitat

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

• Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
• Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Moist, well-drained clay, loam, or sandy soil; adaptable to poor soils, tolerates occasional waterlogging
• Drought Tolerance: High
• Flood Tolerance: Moderate - Appears on a formal wetland plant reference list alongside confirmed wetland species, indicating broader moisture tolerance than its typical dry-meadow reputation might suggest.
• Plant Type: Forb (biennial/short-lived perennial)
• Mature Height: 2-4 ft.
• Fall Color: Insignificant/None
• Bloom Color / Period: Yellow; June-September
• Wetland Indicator Status: NI (No Indicator) - see flags
• Native Range: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (full list)
• Hydrology: Mesic-Moist
• Root Depth: Shallow (Under 12 in.)
• Salinity Tolerance: Low
• Growth Rate: Rapid
• Shade Tolerance: Intolerant
• Growth Habit: Upright
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
• Deer Resistance: Yes (Rarely Damaged)
• Juglone Tolerance: Tolerant
• Pollinator Value: Larval host, supports bees, supports specialist/oligolectic bees, supports butterflies, supports moths

Planting Guidance

• Blooms in its first year from seed when planted in early spring, often mistaken for an annual; moderate fertility gives the best flower show, so avoid siting near lawn edges where fertilizer runoff supplies excess nitrogen.