Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Photographic Location: Sycamore Ridge Ranch in Middle Tennessee

This wildflower is a member or the Aster Family (Asteraceae).

You can always tell its summer when this wildflower blooms. This cheerful, widespread wildflower is considered an annual to a short-lived perennial across its range. Bright-yellow, 2-3 in. wide, daisy-like flowers with dark centers are its claim-to-fame. They occur singly atop 1-2 ft. stems. The stems and scattered, oval leaves are covered with bristly hairs. Coarse, rough-stemmed plant with daisy-like flower heads made up of showy golden-yellow ray flowers, with disk flowers forming a brown central cone.

This native prairie biennial forms a rosette of leaves the first year, followed by flowers the second year. Black-Eyed Susan can be distinguished from other Rudbeckia spp. by its lanceolate hairy leaves and the long hairs on the stems; most of the leaves occur toward the base of each stem, and never have lobes.

Photographic Location: Old Stone Fort State Park in Middle Tennessee

For more information about this wildflower, Click Here.