Brown-eyed Susan is an herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial in the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is native to much of eastern North America. The meaning of the Latin species epithet is "three-lobed,' referring to the three-lobed basal leaves. Brown-eyed Susan grows easily in average, moist, well-drained soils. It is a rugged plant, somewhat weedy, that tolerates heat, drought, deer predation, and a wide range of soils. It will also grow in light shade, although too much shade may cause it to need support. Brown-Eyed Susan can be grown from seed started indoors in early spring or sown directly in the garden after the last frost. If planting seedlings or plant sets, set them out after the danger of frost has passed. You can deadhead spent flowers to encourage additional blooms, which also prevents any unwanted self-seeding. Because the plant self-seeds, it can re-emerge in the spring garden regardless of the survival of the original plant through the winter. The plant's typical height is 3 to 5 feet with 2- to 4-inch leaves and 2- to 3-inch yellow flowers with dark purple-brown center disks. The leaves often have three lobes and a rosette of leaves that originate at the base of the stem persists through the winter, creating an attractive winter ground cover. Flowers bloom in late summer through fall and make an excellent cut flower. This plant differs from black-eyed Susan ( R. hirta ), which has smaller, but more numerous, flowers. Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No known insect or disease problems. Susceptible to powdery mildew. Watch for slugs and snails on young plants. May need support if grown in a shaded site. Cut Flower Profile VIDEO: Part of the Native Plant Picks series from the North Carolina Sea Grant led Coastal Landscapes Initiative . More information on Rudbeckia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Mountains
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Entire; Lobed
Leaf feel
Rough
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are 2 to 4 inches long and often have 3 lobes, deciduous.
Flower color
Black; Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Good Cut; Long-lasting; Showy
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Individual upper stems terminate in 1-2 flowerheads. Blooms late summer through fall, 2 to 3 inch, yellow flowers with a dark brown center. Blooms from July to October.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit detail
Displays from August to November
Stem color
Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Densely branching.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central and Eastern United States
Wildlife value
Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators with nectar and pollen in the blooms. This is a larval host plant for Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) caterpillars which have one brood in the north and two broods from May-September in the rest of its range. This plant also supports Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata) larvae. The adults feed on nectar from red clover, common milkweed, and dogbane. Songbirds, especially American Goldfinches, eat the seeds in the fall.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Host plant for
Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) caterpillars which have one brood in the north and two broods from May-September in the rest of its range