Indian Summer Black - Eyed Susan

Dream of those last warm days of autumn and add sunshine to your garden with the AAS-winning Indian Summer Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer') and its brilliant golden-yellow flowers! Framing a chocolatey brown raised center, the daisy-like ray petals shine in contrast and offer up the perfect landing pad for pollinators and bees to frolic in their pollen and nectar-rich blooms!

Blooming from July to September, Indian Summer has won the hearts of everyone who looks upon it, and it's easy to see why! From the stout stems that hold aloft the tall Daisy-like flowers to the dark green foliage that forms dense mounds that turn to mahogany in the fall - there's so much to love!

These late-season blooms soon become seedheads full of free birdseed! Songbirds delight in this fall and winter treat, while the dried blooms sculpt the snow for winter interest! Hardy herbaceous perennials throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 9, this Rudbeckia can grow up to 4 feet in height when in bloom and spread into politely expanding mounds 12-18 inches wide.

Planting and Application:

Indian Summer has tall blooms for back-of-the-border specimen groupings and tall focal points throughout the sunny landscape! Yet it also keeps a slim profile to accommodate even the smallest of garden plots or urban courtyards alike!

This hardy perennial is great in cut flower and mixed perennial borders, adding tall cheerfulness to Cottage gardens or even brightening up a Rock Garden! Rudbeckia is often used for creating prairie installations with Ornamental Grasses and other native plants. Mixed among wildflower and pollinator gardens, or create low-maintenance, naturalized areas full of cheerful blooms.

These plants are tough enough for hell strips along roadside gardens and sidewalks that may get salted in the winter or have poor quality soil, or en masse to fill hard-to-mow hillsides or sunbaked swaths of bare ground! Create an effortless Xeric installation, slow erosion, or become part of a Fire-wise defensible zone with ease!

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Black-Eyed Susans are easy to care for perfect for the novice gardener! These herbaceous perennials die back each winter and grow anew in the spring throughout a wide range of growing zones and conditions! Indian Summer needs to be grown in full sun in somewhat moist soil conditions in a well-drained area. Provide new installations with regular moderate moisture their first year, but once established, they become highly drought-tolerant!

Deadhead the first round of blooms to encourage reblooming, and you can then let the last blooms go to seed for your songbirds, winter interest, and to self-seed for free plants next year. Prune down the entire plant, removing the stems and leaves to your compost bin or yard waste each fall. Remove the leaves and stems if your plant displays any signs of powdery mildew in the autumn to prevent fungal issues from overwintering. Otherwise, you can also prune back your perennials in the spring before new growth emerges.

However, Rudbeckia can self-seed a bit too well and become a problem in some areas, which is why Nature Hills employs Plant Sentry™ to remain compliant with all local, state, and federal agricultural regulations when shipping these plants around the country, keeping your local ecosystems safe!

• Full Sun Blooms!
• Adaptable to Most Well-Drained Soil
• Moderate Moisture Needs
• Deadhead For Rebloom & Prune In Fall Or Spring
• Powdery Mildew Resistant Foliage!

Order your own garden sunshine and extend your enjoyment well into late autumn with the Indian Summer Black-Eyed Susan! Order yours now at Nature Hills Nursery!