September's plant spotlight is Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta).  Black-eyed Susans or Rudbeckia are popular plants in the landscape for their showy yellow flowers throughout late summer and early fall. Black-eyed Susans are a great plant for the landscape that thrives through hot, dry summers while still having a showy display of gold-yellow flowers.

Black-eyed Susans performs best in full sun and well-drained soils though it can handle partial shade. Plants can reach heights up to 4 feet. Rudbeckia is considered a short-lived perennial or seen as an annual that will freely self-seed and remain in gardens for many years. It is a low maintenance plant with little pest problems, drought tolerant, and moderate deer resistance.

This plant is native to eastern United States with many great attributes to a landscape including attracting pollinators such as butterflies and birds and makes a great cut flower. There are many cultivars or varieties of Rudbeckia that provide unique characteristics slightly different from the typical Black-eyed Susans. ‘Indian Summer’ is one cultivar with showy 6-9’ yellow flowers while ‘Cherry Brandy’ has cherry-red flowers.

When looking for a low maintenance flowering plant to provide color from late summer into the fall season, Rudbeckia could be a great plant to fill that need in your gardens.

Jessica Strickland is an Agriculture Extension Agent, specializing in horticulture for North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Wayne County.

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