Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

golden yellow flowers of the black eyed susan with dark centers
“Add some colour to your life” by infomatique, via Flickr. (cropped from original) CC BY-SA 2.0.
singular black eyed susan with dark center and downward pointing golden petals
“Rudbeckia” by Peter Stenzel, via Flickr. CC BY-ND 2.0.

Ecological Benefits: Attracts native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators; host plant to several native caterpillar species

Bloom period: late spring-midsummer

Best Areas for Planting: low to mid-moisture, full sun to part shade, well-drained, rich soils of neutral pH

Natural Habitat: can be found in fields, roadsides, and clearings

Most of the species information is from The Virginia Native Plant Society website, which offers free, extensive pdfs for each region of Virginia, highlighting about 100 native species (there are many more!) and helpful additional information for planning personal projects. If you aren’t from Virginia, you can search for similar resources in your state! To explore other resources and advice, navigate to the guidance page.

Visit the homepage to explore other sites and learn more about native plants.