Overhead view of yellow black eyed susans in the field.

Black Eyed Susan

Scientific Name: Rudbeckia

Why We Love It

Black Eyed Susans are Maryland’s state flower!!  We love these native beauties, and how they always feel like summer here on the Eastern Shore.

The classic colorway of bright yellow with a dark center is reminiscent of sunflowers, but on a smaller and daintier scale with their long narrow petals.  They add a bit of wildflower meadow whimsy to your arrangements!  There are other colorways in more autumn tones, such as rust and maroon.

Growing black eyed susans is easy – this perennial comes back every year ready to grow, and will likely have spread via seeds in the surrounding areas.  Wind and birds spread these easily!

Bloom Season

Mid Summer - Early Fall

Color Palette

Yellow, Rust Orange, Burgundy

Life Cycle

Annual

Vase Life

~ 1 week

Design Notes

  • Black eyed susan flowers lend a summery wildflower feel to any arrangement
  • the stems can be prickly, sometimes it can help to wear gloves when using!
  • these aren’t as popular in weddings as in flower shop vases, but we love mixing them if it matches your style!
  • the burgundy and rust colors, although less commonly seen, are perfect for rustic fall arrangements

Growing Notes

  • different varieties will bloom at different times of the season, extending their bloom window
  • cut any dead blooms off of the plant to encourage more blooms to push
  • easily spread by wind and birds, once you plant them they can be hard to get rid of
  • no surprise here – these sunny flowers love full-day sun!