Deam's Black-Eyed Susan

Size

Deam's Black-Eyed Susan is a tougher, cleaner-looking choice for late-season gold in native and perennial plantings. Rudbeckia fulgida var. deamii forms a sturdy clump of hairy green foliage topped with orange-yellow daisies and dark brown cones from late summer into fall. It grows close to 3 feet tall and about 2 feet wide, giving beds strong color at the point when many summer flowers are slowing down. We often use it in pollinator plantings because the flowers keep bees, butterflies, and seed-eating birds coming back through the season. This black-eyed Susan is native to parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, where it grows in sites ranging from open woods to stream banks and roadside edges. The variety honors Charles C. Deam, the Indiana botanist who first collected it in 1916. Deam's Black-eyed Susan received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit in 1993, largely for its flower production, adaptability, and strong resistance to common pests and disease. Use it in flower beds, prairie-style borders, rain gardens, naturalized areas, butterfly gardens, cut flower plantings, and deer-resistant landscapes. Deam's Black-Eyed Susan Care Plant Deam's Black-eyed Susan in full sun to partial shade, with full sun coaxing the heaviest bloom and strongest stems. It grows in clay, loam, sandy soil, shallow soil, and average garden soil, provided drainage is reasonable. This adaptable perennial handles acidic, neutral, or alkaline pH and prefers dry to medium moisture. Water regularly during the first growing season so the clump establishes a deep root system. Established plants tolerate heat, humidity, and drought, though flowering is fuller when dry spells are met with an occasional deep soak. Fertilizer is rarely needed in average soil; a light layer of compost in spring is enough for most plantings. Mulch lightly around young plants to reduce weeds, and leave some seed heads standing in fall for songbirds and winter texture. Deadhead spent flowers during bloom if a longer flower display is the priority. Leave the final round of seed heads in place for birds, then cut the stems back hard in early spring before new growth fills in. Divide crowded clumps every few years if flowering declines or the center begins to thin. Deam's Black-Eyed Susan Spacing Space Deam's Black-eyed Susan about 18 to 24 inches apart in perennial beds, or 2 feet apart for a filled-in drift. Use a container at least 14 to 16 inches wide with drainage holes, and water potted plants more often during summer heat. Container plants should be cut back in spring and refreshed with compost or a small amount of slow-release fertilizer as new growth begins. Deam's Black-eyed Susan grows well with many other natives including coneflower, bee balm, phlox, and salvia for a pollinator border with overlapping bloom and similar sun needs. Little bluestem and switchgrass make excellent grass partners, adding upright texture and fall movement around the golden flowers. In containers, use lantana, verbena, or calibrachoa near the edge for summer color that handles bright light and regular watering.