This article is delivered courtesy of UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions.  For more information please refer to http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu\

Easy to grow and tough as nails, black-eyed Susan is a sunny-colored wildflower that is salt- and drought-tolerant, making it an excellent choice for coastal landscapes.

Black-eyed Susan

One of the nine Rudbeckia species native to Florida, black-eyed Susan is the most commonly grown of the species in landscapes and is perfect for butterfly gardens.

The plant forms a mound of foliage topped with a bright display of flowers characterized by brown centers surrounded by red, orange, yellow, or golden petals.

Black-eyed Susan seeds can be planted directly in the garden or you can buy small plants. Choose a sunny, well-drained location in the spring. The flowers will develop ten to fourteen weeks after the seed is planted, and should persist throughout the summer while other plants wilt.

Deadhead, or remove, faded blossoms to prompt more profuse blooming. Black-eyed Susans also make great cut flowers.