Rudbeckia

The original black-eyed Susan - a bristly-stemmed, short-lived meadow daisy that behaves as an annual, biennial, or brief perennial depending on where it grows. It blooms hard and early from seed, then carries itself forward by reseeding rather than by spreading into a permanent clump.

A tall native eastern North American perennial with deeply-lobed foliage and bright-yellow drooping ray flowers around a green central cone in midsummer through fall. Spreads vigorously by rhizomes; site where colony formation is welcome. Among the most cold-tolerant native rudbeckias.

A tough, bright perennial for sunny borders, pollinator patches, and late-summer color.