March 28, 20263 min read
Black-Eyed Susan: New York's Workhorse
Rudbeckia hirta / fulgida
Botanical name
Rudbeckia hirta / fulgida
Sun
Full sun
Soil
Average, tolerates poor soil
Height
2 – 3 ft
Bloom time
July – October
Pollinators supported
Native bees · Small butterflies · Hoverflies
If you've never grown a native, start here. Black-Eyed Susan thrives on neglect, blooms for months, and reseeds gently into bare spots.
It pairs naturally with grasses like Little Bluestem and forms the visual backbone of a Hudson Valley meadow.
Specialist bees in the genus Andrena rely on Rudbeckia pollen to provision their nests.
Want this plant in your yard?
If it's milkweed, we'll give it to you free. Otherwise, we'll point you to local sources of true native plants — no nursery cultivars, no neonicotinoids.
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