Black-eyed Susan care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) wants full sun and a drink about every 7 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. It is safe to have around pets.
| scientific name | Rudbeckia hirta |
|---|---|
| family | Asteraceae |
| category | flower |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 7 |
| min zone | 3 |
| max zone | 9 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Black-eyed Susan?
Water during dry spells; otherwise quite self-sufficient.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: low. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is high. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 32 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 65 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 6.0. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.0. Its fertility requirement is medium. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: no. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. It needs at least 165 frost-free days. Its fire tolerance is medium. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -23°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a single stem form. Its growth rate is rapid. Its lifespan is short. It puts on most of its growth in fall, winter and spring. It spreads by seed at a moderate rate. It resprouts after damage: no. Coppices: no. At maturity it reaches about 1.0 feet. Its roots go down at least 10 inches. Its shape is semi-erect. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in summer. The flowers are orange. Conspicuous in flower: yes. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is coarse. In summer the canopy is porous in porosity. In winter it is porous in porosity. Fall colour: no. The fruit or seed is brown. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by summer. It fruits high. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: no.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: no. Propagated by bare root: no. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: no. Seedling vigour is medium. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: USDA PLANTS Database; US Cooperative Extension horticulture publications · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02