Search for Black-eyed Susans
I grew up in Maryland and when duty did not call, or spoke so softly it could be ignored, I roamed the fields and woods in search of wildflowers and birds. In the beginning only plants with showy flowers merited attention. Among the sought-after plants was the Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta.
Black-eyed Susan is a common plant, native to the United States east of the Rockies. It grows in fields and roadsides. Next to our meadow on a neighbor’s farm there was a field that had lain fallow for three or four years. The field supported a sparse colony of Black-eyed Susans. Most of the plants had a single stem supporting a single yellow daisy-like flower with a dark brown cone-shaped center.
Plant breeders took a liking to rudbeckia. The number of stems and flowers was increased from a few to dozens and then to hundreds. In some cultivars they turned the brown cone-shaped center to green.
I haven’t found Black-eyed Susans growing wild in my current neighborhood. Their cultivated cousins do grow in my garden. They are still sturdy disease and insect resistant plants. They are drought-tolerant and bloomed vigorously this summer in spite of the drought.
Rudbeckia are easily grown from seed. With an early start inside in late winter they will bloom the first year. It can be sown outside in mid-summer for blooms the following summer. The plant is a short-lived perennial. Some varieties reseed. The fancier cultivars must be purchased as plants.
Among the seed-grown rubeckia, I like the ‘Glorioso Daisies.’ It was one of the early cultivars. It resembles the wild variety, but bigger and better. The large flowers are produced in great profusion and are splendid for cutting. ‘Green Eyes’ has yellow petals and an olive green cone. ‘Prairie Sun’ also has a green cone and petals that are larger and a deeper yellow than ‘Green Eyes.’
If small is your delight you will love ‘Toto.’ It is only 10-inches tall. Golden blooms with a chocolate brown cone are produced early and over a long period.
I hope that someday you find Black-eyed Susans in the wild. Until then enjoy them in your garden.
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