Where to Plant Black-Eyed Susan

Plant black-eyed Susan in full sun, which is six to eight hours of daily sunlight, for the best flowers. Black-eyed Susan plants prefer moist to dry, well-draining soils and are equally at home in loam, clay, and sandy soils—any soil that isn’t consistently soggy. These plants are good choices for butterfly gardens, beds, borders, mass plantings, and containers.

When and How to Plant Black-Eyed Susan

Plant black-eyed Susan flowers after the last winter frost or in the fall before the cold sets in. If planting from seed, sow the seeds six to eight weeks before the last frost. Set the plants 18 inches apart in soil cleared of weeds and loosened for easy digging. To plant, dig a hole about the same width and depth as the planting container. Remove the plant and loosen the roots a little from the root ball before placing it in the hole. Backfill with soil, tamp lightly, and water well.

Before acquiring a new plant, make sure your environment meets its needs. Not every plant will do well in every location.

Black-Eyed Susan Care Tips

Black-eyed Susans are easy-to-grow and easy-care plants. Many newer varieties are annuals in northern climates but hardy in the South. Be sure to check hardiness zones when shopping for black-eyed Susan plants.

Light

These sun-loving plants do best when grown in sunlight six to eight hours a day. They can grow in shade, but the colors of the flowers aren’t as vibrant.

Soil and Water

Once black-eyed Susan is established, it’s a drought-tolerant plant, but it needs regular watering when first planted. While they grow well in almost any soil, black-eyed Susan won’t thrive in soggy locations. If your soil is mostly sand, add organic matter to help it retain water.

Temperature and Humidity

These plants grow best in warm temperatures. They prefer 60ºF or above. However, black-eyed Susan doesn’t mind humidity. When temperatures are very hot (above 90°F), increase watering to keep the plants from being overly stressed by the heat.

Fertilizer

Because black-eyed Susan grows in most soils, it usually doesn’t need fertilizer.

Pruning

Deadheading black-eyed Susan is essential for healthy regrowth. When deadheading, cut back to just past the first leaf on the stem. At the end of the season, cut them back to 2 inches above the ground. Add mulch during cold months to keep them from freezing before spring. Black-eyed Susan propagates from underground rhizomes and self-seeds, so if you want to keep them from spreading, clean up seed pods and trim back growth.

Potting and Repotting Black-Eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan isn’t the best choice for a container plant. Their roots prefer a garden setting where they can grow deep. If you want to try to plant them in a container, pick a substantially wide and deep one to simulate a garden environment.

Pests and Problems

Leaf spots are black-eyed Susan’s most common problem and are usually caused by fungus. The best way to handle this problem is to clean up dead debris before new foliage emerges in spring and after the first frost in fall. Doing so removes spores that could infect new foliage. Planting black-eyed Susan in full sun with good air circulation also helps prevent fungus growth.

Common garden pests can be removed with a burst of water from a garden hose. An application of neem oil or insecticidal soap eliminates aphids and other bugs.

How to Propagate Black-Eyed Susan

Three propagation methods make it easy to have black-eyed Susans in your garden every year.

Propagate from Seeds

These plants tend to reseed themselves, so they’ll likely continue showing up in your garden without your help. However, you can harvest seeds to start indoors.

1. A few weeks after a flower blooms, remove the seed head (or cut the stalk containing the seed head) and put it in a paper bag to dry for about a week.
2. After the seed head is dry, you still have to remove the seeds. One method is to place the dry seed head in a glass jar, seal it, and shake it until the seeds turn loose.
3. Sow the dried seeds in a flat of seed-starting mix six to eight weeks before the last frost of spring and cover them with a scant 1/16 inch of medium.
4. Keep the soil moist and put the flat in a warm place, preferably at about 70°F. The seeds will germinate in two to four weeks.

Propagate with Divisions

After three or four years, black-eyed Susan clumps may become too large for your garden. When that happens, it’s time to dig them up and divide them for replanting.

1. Depending on how large the clump is or how tall the plants are, you may want to prune the plants somewhat before lifting them to make the process more manageable.
2. In either the fall or spring, when the plant is leaving or entering dormancy (not summer or winter), dig a trench around the drip line and lift the clump with roots out of the soil with a shovel.
3. Brush off some of the soil so you can see the roots.
4. Use pruning shears to cut through the plant and roots to separate the clump into several divisions.
5. Replant the divisions in the garden right away and water them well until they are established.

Propagate with Stem Cuttings

For gardeners looking for another way to get a new black-eyed Susan plant, there is the stem-cutting method.

1. Cut a 6- to 8-inch stem just below a node on a black-eyed Susan’s growing tip.
2. Put it in a jar with water and watch it root.
3. After it develops roots and growth starts to show, move it into a peat pot with potting soil and put it in a warm area with bright light.

Types of Black-Eyed Susan

‘Autumn Colors’ Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Autumn Colors’ is an award-winning annual series that bears 5-inch-wide gold flowers flushed with bronze, red, and rust. It grows 2 feet tall. Zones 3-9

Brown-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia triloba is a North American native biennial or short-lived perennial that has clusters of small yellow flowers in summer and autumn. It grows 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Zones 4-7

‘Goldsturm’ Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’ is one of the most popular perennials of all time. It offers 3- to 4-inch bright yellow daisies accented with a dark brown cone from midsummer to fall. It reaches 2 feet tall and is hardy in Zones 4-9.

‘Indian Summer’ Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Indian Summer’ features bright golden flowers and hairy foliage. It grows 3 feet tall and blooms from summer to frost in Zones 3-7, where it is often grown as an annual.

‘Maya’ Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia ‘Maya’ is an annual dwarf variety with golden-yellow petal-packed double flowers. It grows 18 inches tall.

‘Prairie Sun’ Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Prairie Sun’ features yellow-orange flowers from summer to frost. It’s hardy in Zones 3-8 but is usually grown as an annual.

‘Radiance’ Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Radiance’ is usually grown as an annual and offers distinct double flowers with quilled petals. It grows 18 inches tall.

‘Sonora’ Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Sonora’ is an annual type with large mahogany petals tipped in yellow. It grows 20 inches tall.

‘Toto Lemon’ Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Toto Lemon’ is a dwarf annual selection with cheery bright yellow blooms all summer. It grows 15 inches tall.

‘Toto Rustic’ Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Toto Rustic’ is an annual type that bears golden blooms with rich burgundy-red centers. It grows 15 inches tall.

Black-Eyed Susan Companion Plants

Fountaingrass

Like many grasses, fountaingrass is spectacular when backlit by the rising or setting sun. Fountaingrass also sends out beautiful, fuzzy flower plumes in late summer. The white, pink, or red plumes (depending on variety) continue into fall and bring a loose, informal look to plantings. Zones 6-11

Russian Sage

Russian sage is an important player in summer and fall gardens. Its aromatic silvery plumes and lavender flowers show off well against most flowers. Foot-long panicles of flowers bloom for many weeks. Zones 4-9

Coneflower

The purple coneflower is easy to grow and draws many birds and butterflies. This prairie native is valued for its large, sturdy, daisylike flowers with drooping petals. Allow it to spread so you have at least a small stand. It used to be that rosy purple or white were the only choices in flower color, but recent hybrids have introduced yellow, orange, burgundy, cream, and shades in between. Zones 3-9

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why isn’t my black-eyed Susan blooming?
• The most likely reason your flowers aren’t blooming is a lack of sunlight. If other nearby plants are blocking the sunlight, trim them to allow more sun to reach your black-eyed Susans. Also, if you’ve been fertilizing your plants, switch from a high-nitrogen type to a high-phosphorus type. Nitrogen promotes foliage growth instead of flower growth.
• Should black-eyed Susans be staked?
• At the height of the growing season, black-eyed Susans may need help standing tall. Use bamboo or wire stakes to support the larger plants.
• Do black-eyed Susan blooms make good cut flowers for arrangements?
• Yes, indeed. Black-eyed Susan blooms are lovely additions to arrangements. The cut flowers usually last 6-10 days.
• How long do black-eyed Susan plants live?
• It depends on the type. Some black-eyed Susan plants are annuals and must be replaced each year. Some are biennials, and many are short-lived perennials. So they may live one, two, or a few years.