SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida

COMMON NAME: Black-Eyed Susan, Orange Coneflower

GARDEN SIZE: 2–3 feet tall x 2–3 feet wide

GROWTH RATE: Fast

USDA ZONE: 4 to 7

EXPOSURE: Full Sun, Part Shade

WATER & SOIL: Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and prefers average to dry moisture. Requires regular watering after planting, but is drought tolerant once established.

HABIT (FORM): Mounding perennial

FOLIAGE: Deciduous; medium-textured, shiny deep green leaves; resistant to Septoria leaf spot

FLOWERS: Orangey-gold petals with lighter yellow tips; single 2" heads; blooms July through October

PLANT ORIGIN: Eastern North America, including Tennessee.

WILDLIFE SUPPORT: Excellent nectar source for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Provides seasonal cover for small wildlife and may support seed-eating birds. Host plant for local butterflies and moths.

FERTILIZING: Give a root stimulant or 4-3-3 fertilizer during initial planting, then feed lightly in late winter or early spring with compost or an organic fertilizer.

PRUNING: Cut back to just above soil level in early spring to encourage dense regrowth. Leaving stems, leaves, and spent blooms over the winter benefits native pollinators and wildlife.

TOXICITY FLAGS: None reported

USES: Border plant, container, cut flower, mass planting, cottage gardens, rain gardens, patio containers