Black Eyed Suan
The Black-eyed Susan is a native of the United States and the Great Plains. It can commonly be found in open woodlands, prairies, fields and in waste areas across the state. While technically a perennial this flower tends to be a short-lived plant in some areas, however it freely self-seeds so it rarely dies out. The common name originates in an old English poem called ‘Sweet Williams Farewell to Black-eyed Susan’ which talks about how the Sweet William plant and Black-eye Susan bloom so beautifully together. The Black-eye Susan is known for its daisy like flowers with petals that range in color from bright yellow to burgundy red and several different combinations in between. All varieties do have the characteristic dark brown to black cone in the center that gives the flower its name. Black-eyed Susans are a fairly hairy plant, the species name hirta means hairy and refers to the short bristles on the leaves and the stem. This pollinator plant has few insect or diseases issues outside of the occasional bout of powdery mildew under very humid conditions. Use this plant in wildflower or cottage gardens as a mass of color for the best effect or use shorter varieties as a border of a flower bed.
