Black-Eyed Susan, American Gold Rush

Rudbeckia 'American Gold Rush'

Height: 22-26in
Spread: 40-44in
Zone: 4-9
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Bloom Time/Color: July-September; yellow
Uses: Naturalizing, massing, specimen
Maintenance: Low
Other: Deer resistant, attracts butterflies, native, cut flower

Black-eyed Susans are one of the brightest and most cheerful perennials that you can grow in your landscape. Yellow disk flowers with black centers appear in July and bloom through to fall (with a little deadheading of course). The rough, sandpaper-like leaves are dark green and make the flowers seem even brighter. 'American Gold Rush' has the same gold flowers of other cultivars, but is more compact and is even resistant to Septoria leaf spot thanks to its hairier, thinner leaves. Black-eyed Susans grow best in average, well-drained soils in full sun but will tolerate clay, drought, urban conditions, dry soils, etc.