Rudbeckia 'Prairie Sun' Black-Eyed Susan

All-America Selections (AAS) Winner 2003; Fleuroselect Gold Medal 2003

Rudbeckia 'Prairie Sun' is a biennial or short-lived perennial, typically grown as an annual, that flowers summer through fall. Long and heavy blooming, this large-flowered cultivar sets huge—up to 5-inch—daisylike flowers with yellow-tipped orange rays and an usual light green button-like center. Borne singly on long, sturdy stems that will not flop, the blooms make excellent long-lasting cut flowers, fresh and dried. Bright and nectar-rich, the flowers attract bees and butterflies to the garden for months on end, and the seed heads that follow offer winter interest as well as sustenance for songbirds, such as American goldfinches.

A Rudbeckia hirta, commonly called rudbeckia, black-eyed Susan, and sometimes gloriosa daisy, 'Prairie Sun', an herbaceous biennial plant, has an upright, bushy habit. Shown to best effect when massed or grouped, black-eyed Susan is a classic bed and border plant but also works well in a decorative patio pot.

Easy to grow and low maintenance, black-eyed Susan grows best in a sunny location with organically rich, moist, well-draining soil, having a neutral, acid, or alkaline pH. It adapts to a wide range of soils, even clay, and tolerates dry soils, heat, and moderate drought; but it will not tolerate wet, soggy soils. Relatively trouble free, black-eyed Susan forgives neglect and is deer and rabbit resistant. The plant freely self-seeds and typically returns year after year. However, deadheading spent flowers will not only promote more blooms but also prevent unwanted self-seeding.

A native plant, rudbeckia is indigenous to North America. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.