BLACK-EYED SUSAN

By Mitsu and Katie

RUDBECKIA HIRTA

The Black-Eyed Susan, or Rudbeckia hirta, is

Marylands state flower.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Black-Eyed Susans are tough, perennial (live for
two years) plants that can withstand a multitude
of soil conditions. Because of this, they do not
have too specific soil preferences.
They are tall (up to 36 inches at times!) and have
yellow petals with a black center. The petals
droop around the center.

INTERESTING INFORMATION
They are very competitive plants and will even
push other species out of their area!
They may not grow a rosette (group of leaves
growing from the center) until their second year.
They are pioneer plants, and can be the first to
grow/re-grow in an un-habited area.

RANGE/HABITAT

They are all across North America even down to

Miami, though they are mainly found in the
pinelands of New England and along the north of
the United States.

Black Eyed-Susan
Recommendations

WATER/LIGHT REQUIREMENTS
Water:
Can withstand droughts
Prefer consistently moist soil (not standing
water)

When it is hot, only needs 1 in. a week.

Light:

Full sun
Partial shade (to keep soil moist)

SOIL NUTRIENT LEVELS

Found in a lot of nutritionally poor soil
Do not need a lot of nutrients
- does need some amounts of nitrogen,
potassium and phosphate.
Though it does not have specific nutrient
requirements, it grows more in nutritional soil
Can grow almost anywhere even in salty
conditions

SOIL TEXTURE
Needs well-drained soil
Prefers loam or sandy loam.
Easily gets a root disease when there are high
amounts of water.

SOIL PH
Prefers a soil pH of 6.8 to 7.7
Likes mildly acidic/alkaline conditions

Importance
to
Environment

Animals using as aTHAT

food source USE
nimals
using as BLACK-EYED
shelter
ANIMALS
THE
Honey Bee
Leopard Slug
SUSAN
A

White-tailed Deer

Garden Centipede

Leopard Slug

Isopod

Eastern Cottontail

Black Carpenter Ant

Clouded Sulphur

Common Black Ground Beetle

Golden Northern Bumble

Bee

American Dog Tick

Eastern Black Swallowtail

Goldenrod Spider

Differential Grasshopper

Green Lacewing

Black Carpenter Ant

European Starling

Cabbage White

Buffalo Treehopper

Green Stinkbug

Chigger

Hummingbird Moth
Grace Lacewing
Buffalo Treehopper

So

Who will the plant

attract??

POLLINATORS

The Honey Bee, Clouded Sulphur, Golden

Northern Bumble Bee, Eastern Tiger
Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Eastern Black
Swallowtail, and Organ-pipe Mud Dauber all use
the Black-Eyed Susan as a source of nectar. In
return, they pollinate the flowers.

PESTS
Slugs, aphids, smut, powdery mildew, and snails
all have a parasitic relationship with Black-Eyed
Susans
They are attracted to the plant, but also kill them
As a result, the population has dramatically
decreased