Rudbeckia hirta L. var. hirta

Woodland Black Eyed Susan

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Woodland Black-Eyed Susan is a native annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Woodland Black-Eyed Susan occurs in open woods, in clearings, on roadsides, and in disturbed areas. It has stems that are 1-3 feet in height, pubescent, branched or simple, growing from a tap root. The stems are leafy throughout. Leaves are alternate, basal (forming a rosette that may be absent at flowering) and cauline. Basal leaves are petiolate, ovate in outline, and pubescent. Stem leaves are alternate, petiolate or sessile, elliptic to lanceolate in outline, entire or serrate, and pubescent. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are arranged in corymbiform or paniculiform arrays. Each head has 8-16 yellow-orange ray flowers and 200-500 purple disc flowers. The fruit is an achene. Woodland Black-Eyed Susan is readily available as seed from many nurseries. It is a very easy plant to grow, and flowers throughout the summer months. It is not picky about soil type, but best flowering is in full to partial sun. Remove old flower heads to promote re-blooming. It can be used in a perennial bed, in a wildflower meadow, in prairies, and naturalized along wood lines Once established, it readily re-seeds itself, and is deer resistant. Woodland Black-Eyed Susan is a larval host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) and Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone) butterflies.—A. Diamond.

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Native

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