Black Eyed Susan Plant

Black eyed susan plants for sale here are Rudbeckia hirta, the hairy-stemmed native wildflower with golden daisy petals around a dark brown cone. We ship them bare-root in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500, for meadow plantings, border beds, garden centers and wholesale buyers who need a lot of summer color.

Black Eyed Susan Size, Zones and Sun

Black eyed susan runs about knee to chest high, 2 to 4 feet in most beds, and stays a slim 1 to 2 feet across. Zones 3 to 9 suit it. Give it full sun for the most flowers (a little afternoon shade is forgivable) and any soil that drains, from clay to sand. Rich ground isn't needed, and it can make the stems flop. Once the roots are in, a dry stretch barely bothers it.

Black Eyed Susan Flowers and Seed Heads

Flowers start in late spring in warm areas and run through summer, with orange-yellow petals (10 to 20 per head) around a dark purple-brown center. Snip off spent blooms and the show can stretch into fall. Leave the last ones standing and the seed heads feed goldfinches into winter.

Black Eyed Susan and Pollinators

Bees and butterflies work the flower heads all summer, and the plant hosts silvery checkerspot caterpillars. If you're building a planting around it, our list of perennials that attract pollinators has partners worth a look.

Where to Plant Black Eyed Susan

Think meadow strips, sunny slopes, the edge of a field, or any hot corner the sprinkler never reaches. Plant 12 to 18 inches apart and the golden heads knit into one block of color within a season or two. It takes heat and dry spells in stride, and our article on drought-tolerant perennials for summer color names other plants that do the same.

Planting Black Eyed Susan Bare-root

Soak the roots for an hour, set the crown at soil level and spread the roots in the hole. Firm the soil, water well and keep it moist for the first few weeks. After that a weekly soak in dry spells is plenty. Mulch lightly and keep the mulch off the crown.

Buying Black Eyed Susan in Bulk

At 12 inches apart a pack of 100 covers about 100 square feet, and 500 plants cover about 500. Packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500 let you match an order to a bed, a meadow strip or a whole job.

Good to Know About Black Eyed Susan

Don't expect a black eyed susan to live forever. Most plants give out after two or three years. The good news is they drop plenty of seed, so leave a few heads standing and the patch replaces itself. In muggy summers watch for powdery mildew, and good spacing is the best defense. Slugs now and then take a bite out of young leaves.

Black Eyed Susan in Meadows and Borders

Mixed with grasses and other prairie plants, black eyed susan fills in fast and gives a meadow its first big color. In a border it pairs well with purple coneflower, blazing star and ornamental grasses. Cut stems back in late winter and new growth comes up from the base.

Black Eyed Susan Plant Sizes, Packs and Shipping

Black eyed susan plants ship bare-root in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. Browse more wholesale perennials for sale.