Growing Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia Garden Seeds

Black-Eyed Susan is easy to grow from seed and recommended for direct sowing outdoors after the frost. Rudbeckia has a wildflower habit and most commonly sown by broadcasting. Blend rudbeckia seeds with sand to increase visibility during sowing. Broadcast the mix over a 10-square foot area and evenly rake and lightly tamp into moist, Organically rich, and well-drained soil in full sun. Black-Eyed Susan can be susceptible to downy and powdery mildew. Cut back spent foliage, leaves, and blooms after flowering to prolong vitality into the fall and Black-Eyed Susan seeds will benefit from partial shade during severe summers. Rudbeckia has no serious pests or diseases, but monitor for slugs and snails on young plants. Black-Eyed Susan seeds mature in 84-98 days as 12-36" tall bushy uprights with 12-24" spreads covered in 2½" daisy-like blooms with golden petals surrounding a chocolate center.

Rudbeckia hirta is native to the eastern and midwestern United States. The genus Rudbeckia honors pioneering Swedish botanist Olof Rudbeck, who established the world-renowned Uppsala Botanic Garden that employed the "father of modern taxonomy" Carl Linnaeus as a resident professor. The species name hirta literally translates to "hairy," referencing the tiny bristles covering the entire plant.