Description
Scientific Name: Rudbeckia hirta
Range: Keweenaw native
Light: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Soil: Sand, Loam, Clay
Moisture: Dry, Medium, Moist
Benefits: Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds, Deer Resistant, Host Plant
Height: 1′-3′
Blooms: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Color: Yellow
Spacing: 1′
Root: Fibrous
The beloved roadside wildflower is a larval host for Silvery Checkerspot and Bordered Patch butterfly caterpillars, used by wildlife and pollinator insects, and enjoyed by several species of bees. Although deer resistant, deer will graze on the basal leaves in winter. Bobwhite quail, wild turkey, and songbirds eat its seeds. Best used in borders, annual beds, cottage and wild gardens, and meadows by grouping or mass planting. Soil disturbance every two or three years is important to promote Black-eyed Susan germination.
