Asteraceae
Rudbeckia hirta
Rugged, sun-loving perennial that earns its keep in nearly any yard
Acabashi via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
About this plant
Rudbeckia hirta, commonly called by its scientific name, is a perennial in the Asteraceae family, the same sprawling clan that includes daisies and coneflowers. What sets it apart for beginners is its almost unreasonable adaptability: USDA hardiness zones 1a through 13b cover virtually the entire continental United States, meaning this plant can survive climates from the frigid upper Midwest to the subtropical edges of Florida and Hawaii. If you have outdoor garden space, Rudbeckia hirta will very likely grow in it.
The plant belongs to the genus Rudbeckia, a North American staple with a long track record in home gardens. Its medium water needs mean it sits comfortably in the middle ground: not a drought-tolerant xeriscape specialist, but not a thirsty bog plant either. Regular rainfall in most U.S. Regions will carry it through the season with only occasional supplemental watering. Rated beginner difficulty, it asks for roughly ten minutes of attention per week, making it one of the most time-efficient perennials a first-time gardener can choose.
Bloom
Danny S. via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_3)
Gallery
G. Edward Johnson via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_3)
Gallery
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
Step by step
Find a spot with enough light for its needs. Plant it outdoors, ideally sheltered from the harshest afternoon wind.
Any good all-purpose potting mix or well-drained garden soil will do. Give each plant enough room for its mature spread. Crowding causes more problems than undersizing the bed. Water it in gently once it's settled.
Water when the top inch of soil feels dry, roughly once a week in summer. Soak the soil, then let it breathe before the next round.
This one is very forgiving. A balanced all-purpose fertiliser at the start of the growing season is plenty, and you can skip a month without harm. Plan on 10 minutes a week of hands-on care: watering, a quick trim, checking for pests.
Expect flowers in June to September. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more, and take a minute to notice them. This is why you planted it.
Year at a glance
Approximate for a temperate North American zone. Shift earlier the further south you garden, later the further north.
Jan
January: Rest
Dormant
Feb
February: Rest
Dormant
Mar
March: Wake up
New growth
Apr
April: Tend
Routine care
May
May: Tend
Routine care
Jun
June: Bloom
Flowers expected
Jul
July: Bloom
Flowers expected
Aug
August: Bloom
Flowers expected
Sep
September: Bloom
Flowers expected
Oct
October: Tend
Routine care
Nov
November: Wind down
Prep for dormancy
Dec
December: Rest
Dormant
Recommended supplies
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Golden-yellow daisies with a dark chocolate centre from midsummer through frost. Self-seeds into well-behaved drifts, draws goldfinches in late season, and thrives in full sun with almost zero maintenance once established.
Native annual or short-lived perennial that thrives in heat, drought, and poor soil. Golden yellow petals on 12 to 36-inch plants with a dark chocolate center. One of the easiest wildflowers to establish from seed.
Pet & people safety
Verified against a primary poison-control source. Still, no plant is a snack. Grazing in quantity can upset the stomach of any animal, and the hotline below is there if something goes wrong.
Dogs
Non-toxic
Non-toxic per ASPCA.
Source: ASPCA
Record covers Blackeyed Susan toxicity for Dogs.
Cats
Non-toxic
Non-toxic per ASPCA.
Source: ASPCA
Record covers Blackeyed Susan toxicity for Cats.
Bloomwise is not a substitute for veterinary or medical advice. Every line above comes from a hand-verified reference.
Frequently asked
Blackeyed Susan is hardy in USDA zones 3a to 9b. If your winter lows fall outside that range, grow it in a container you can bring indoors, or treat it as an annual.
Water about once a week in summer, adjusting for rainfall. Soak the soil, then let it breathe before watering again.
Blackeyed Susan prefers four to six hours of sun, ideally morning light.
Yes. Blackeyed Susan is listed as non-toxic to dogs and cats by verified poison-control sources. No plant is a snack, though, and grazing in quantity can still upset any animal's stomach.
Yes, this is a forgiving plant that tolerates inconsistent watering and the occasional missed feeding. A good choice for a first garden.
People also planted
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Flat-topped flower clusters that tough out winters from Zone 1a to 13b
Common Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Tall, sun-chasing blooms that thrive from Alaska to the tropics
Common Zinnia
Zinnia elegans
Garden Cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus
Feathery foliage and wide-open blooms for the most hands-off gardener
Sources
Plant facts on this page come from a blend of public-domain and open-licensed datasets: Biodiversity Heritage Library (historical botanical illustrations, public domain), USDA PLANTS (taxonomy, public domain), GBIF (occurrence and taxonomy, CC-BY 4.0), OpenFarm (crop guides, CC-BY-SA 3.0), and Open-Meteo (climate and hardiness lookup, CC-BY 4.0). Toxicity records come from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and the Pet Poison Helpline; every row is hand-verified against a primary reference.
