Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta

LATIN NAME: Rudbeckia hirta

COMMON NAME: Black-Eyed Susan, Yellow Coneflower

The black-eyed Susan is one of the most beloved of the North American wildflowers, and its bright, golden, daisy-like blooms with their dark, chocolate-brown centres have coloured the meadows of the continent for a very long time. It grows as a short-lived, herbaceous perennial or biennial of the daisy family, reaching up to a metre, with an upright, branching stem bearing rough, hairy, oval leaves and, through the summer and the early autumn, the many bright, golden-yellow, daisy-like flower heads with their dark, domed, brown or near-black centres, followed by the small, dry seeds. It is a species of the daisy family, native to the eastern and the central North America, and it is the state flower of Maryland, while it was used medicinally by the Native Americans, and it has numerous cultivars and is a beloved flower of the meadow garden.

The black-eyed Susan belongs to the daisy family, Asteraceae, and it is a North American flowering plant, commonly called the black-eyed Susan and the yellow coneflower. It grows to a metre tall with the daisy-like, yellow flower heads, and it was used medicinally by the Native Americans, and it is the state flower of Maryland, while it is prized for its bright, golden bloom.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The black-eyed Susan has a genuine and distinguished place in both horticultural and ecological research. It has been studied in horticulture, since it is one of the most beloved of the meadow flowers, prized for its bright, golden bloom, and researchers have examined its cultivation, its many cultivars and its value in the garden, while the breeding of the improved and the varied cultivars has been of continuing interest, and the bright, golden blooms of the plant have drawn attention in the international gardening press as a beloved wildflower of the summer meadow. The plant has also been studied in ecology, since it is a native of the North American meadows, and researchers have examined its growth, its seed and its role in the meadow community, while the value of the plant to the bees and the butterflies has been examined, and the use of the black-eyed Susan in the prairie restorations has been examined. The species has also been studied in botany, since it is a member of the daisy family, and its classification and its relationships have been examined, while the study of the coneflowers and their many species has been of continuing interest. For a flower of such beloved fame, the black-eyed Susan has a rich and distinguished record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Ecologically, the black-eyed Susan is a generous flower of the summer meadow. Its bright, golden blooms feed the bees, the butterflies and the insects, and its seeds feed the goldfinches and the other small birds of the autumn, while it is a beloved presence in the meadows and the waysides of North America.

Its economic value is real. It is one of the most beloved of the meadow flowers, grown across the temperate world, and its bright, golden bloom has drawn attention in the international gardening press as a beloved wildflower of the summer meadow, while it is also valued in the prairie restorations and the wildflower mixes. For a grower, the black-eyed Susan is an easy and generous flower, and for a gardener it brings bright, golden bloom through a long season. The seeds are quick to wake — press them onto the surface of moist soil in a sunny spot, since they like a little light, keep them gently watered, and they’ll be sprouting within a week or two, growing on into a bright, golden-flowered plant of the meadow.

Uses: Medicinal

drought tolerant perennial. Use for cut and dried flowers. Naturalizes well, heat tolerant. Do not cut back flowers and allow them to dry in place for winter interest and attracting birds.

One of the most loved wildflowers. Golden-orange daisies, brown centres The plant and root have both been used by North American native tribes to treat a wide range of ailments — from worms in children to snakebites and earaches.