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Rudbeckia hirta — black-eyed coneflower, black-eyed susan

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New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Facts

Black-eyed coneflower (also commonly known as black-eyed Susan) is planted as a garden ornamental, and also used in seed mixes for prairie restoration or erosion control. Thus, some cultivated strains may be introduced. There are two varieties in New England, one (Rudbeckia hirta var. hirta) is a rare native found in Massachusetts and Vermont. The other (R. hirta var. pulcherrima) is introduced, and found throughout New England.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields, woodlands

Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf type
leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
Leaf arrangement
alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
Leaf blade edges
the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
Flower type in flower heads
the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
Ray flower color
  • green to brown
  • orange
  • pink to red
  • yellow
Tuft or plume on fruit
there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
Spines on plant
the plant has no spines
Leaf blade length
30–300 mm
Disk flower number
more than 50
Show all characteristics

  • Flowers

    Bases of bract appendages
    NA
    Bract inner side hairs
    the bracts are hairy on their inner surfaces
    Bract outer side hairs
    the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
    Bract shape
    • the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
    • the main bracts are linear (long and very narrow)
    Bract texture
    the bracts have a similar texture to a leaf
    Bract tip shape
    the tips of the bracts acute (have a sharp point)
    Bract width
    1–5
    Disk flower color
    • blue to purple
    • green to brown
    • yellow
    Disk flower number
    more than 50
    Disk flower reproductive parts
    the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
    Disk width
    10–20 mm
    Flower head number
    • each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
    • each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it
    Flower head outer flowers
    at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
    Flower head platform
    the base has papery scales on it
    Flower head platform surface
    the scales are slightly hairy, at least near the top
    Flower type in flower heads
    the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
    Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
    NA
    Inflorescence shape
    the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
    Ovary cross-section
    the ovary is roughly square or with four corners
    Ovary hairs
    the ovary has no hairs on it
    Ray flower color
    • green to brown
    • orange
    • pink to red
    • yellow
    Ray flower reproductive parts
    there are neither carpels nor stamens in the ray flowers
    Ray flowers
    • 11-15
    • 16-25
    • 6-10
    Ray length
    15–45 mm
    Style branches
    the style branch is narrow at the tip, or the style branches are narrow at the tips

  • Fruits or seeds

    Number of pappus parts
    0
    Ovary length in developed fruit
    1.5–2.7 mm
    Seed hair tuft bases
    NA
    Seed hair tuft color
    NA
    Seed hair tuft details
    NA
    Seed hair tuft length
    0 mm
    Seed hair tuft tips
    NA
    Seed hairs uniform
    NA
    Seed tuft scale number
    0
    Seed tuft type
    there is no pappus on the ovary
    Top of disk flower ovary
    NA
    Tuft or plume on fruit
    there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim

  • Glands or sap

    Leaf blade glands
    the leaf blades have no glandular (translucent) dots or scales
    Sap
    the sap is clear and watery

  • Growth form

    Growth form
    the plant has one or more free-standing stems
    Plant lifespan
    • the plant is biennial, it appears as either first year (non-reproductive) plants or second year plants with flowers or fruit
    • the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
    Spines on plant
    the plant has no spines
    Underground organs
    there is a thickened taproot on the plant

  • Leaves

    Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
    0 mm
    Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
    0 mm
    Hairs on underside of leaf blade
    the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
    Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
    • the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
    • the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
    Leaf arrangement
    alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
    Leaf blade base
    the leaf has a distinct petiole
    Leaf blade base shape
    • the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
    • the base of the leaf blade is rounded
    Leaf blade bloom
    the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
    Leaf blade edges
    the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
    Leaf blade length
    30–300 mm
    Leaf blade shape
    • the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
    • the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
    • the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
    • the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
    • the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
    • the leaf blade is spatulate (spoon-shaped; narrow near the base, then suddenly widening to a rounded tip)
    Leaf blade surface colors
    there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
    Leaf blade tip
    the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
    Leaf blade width
    10–70 mm
    Leaf disposition
    the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves
    Leaf spines
    there are no spines on the leaf edges
    Leaf stalk
    the leaves have leaf stalks
    Leaf tip extension
    NA
    Leaf type
    leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
    Leaflet number
    0
    Specific leaf type
    the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets

  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • man-made or disturbed habitats
    • meadows or fields
    • woodlands

  • Scent

    Plant odor
    the plant does not have much of an odor

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Flowering stem cross-section
    the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
    Leaves on stem
    there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
    Stem bloom
    there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
    Stem internode hair direction
    the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
    Stem internode hair length
    At least 1 mm
    Stem internode hairs
    the stem has hairs between the nodes
    Stem wings
    the stem does not have wings on it

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

New England distribution and conservation status

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

var. hirta

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)
Vermont
historical (S-rank: SH)

var. pulcherrima

Massachusetts
not applicable (S-rank: SNA)

Native to North America?

Yes and no (some introduced)

Sometimes confused with

Rudbeckia fulgida:
pappus present, represented by a minute crown, stolons present, and chaff of receptacle 2.5-4 mm long (vs. R. hirta, with pappus absent, stolons absent, and chaff of receptacle 4-6 mm long).
Rudbeckia bicolor:
plants annual, lacking basal tufts of leaves, and leaves chiefly cauline, remaining relatively constant in size until near base of capitulescence, all sessile or subsessile (vs. R. hirta, with plants biennial or short-lived perennial, with basal tufts of leaves, and leaves basally disposed, decreasing in size upwards, the lower borne on evident petioles).

Synonyms

  • Rudbeckia hirta var. lanceolata (Bisch.) Core
  • Rudbeckia hirta var. serotina (Nutt.) Core
  • Rudbeckia serotina Nutt.

Family

Asteraceae

Genus

Rudbeckia

Notes on subspecies and varieties in New England

Rudbeckia hirta L. var. hirta is known from MA, VT. It is native and of conservation concern.R. hirta var. pulcherrima Farw. is non-native and known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT.

Help

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae

3.  Rudbeckia hirta L. nC

black-eyed coneflower.  3a. Rudbeckia brittonii Small; R. hirta L. var. brittonii (Small) Fern.;  
3b. Rudbeckia hirta L. var. lanceolata (Bisch.) Core; R. hirta L. var. serotina (Nutt.) Core; 
 R. serotina Nutt. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Fields, roadsides, lawns, open woodlands, clearings.

1a.  Leaves blades coarsely toothed, the basal ones ovate to rhombic-oval, 2.5–7 cm wide, about 2 times as long as wide, those borne on the stem lance-ovate to ovate or pandurate 
 … 3a. R. hirta var. hirta

1b.  Leaf blades entire to finely toothed, the basal ones lanceolate to oblanceolate, 1–2.5 (–5) cm wide, (3–) 4–5 times as long as wide, those borne on the stem linear to oblanceolate or spatulate … 3b. R. hirta var. pulcherrima Farw.

Vareity hirta is known from MA, VT. It is native and of conservation concern. Variety pulcherrima is non-native and known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT.