Top Ten Drought Tolerant Plants
Our Crew members weighed in on their favorite drought tolerant plants.
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Availability updated dailyBright golden yellow daisies with dark cone centers. Self-sows onto open soil. Very adaptable as will grow in dry to moist soils. Biennial.
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Black-eyed Susan | Rudbeckia hirta
Height: 30 inches
Spacing: 18 inches
Sunlight: Full Sun
Hardiness Zone: 4a
Other Names: Gloriosa Daisy, Coneflower
Brand: Gertens
Description:
This variety produces striking golden yellow daisies with varying petal markings and nearly black eyes; makes an outstanding cut flower; deadhead for re-blooming; drought tolerant once established; wonderful along borders or in containers
Ornamental Features
Black-eyed Susan has masses of beautiful yellow daisy flowers with gold overtones, dark brown eyes and red spots at the ends of the stems from early summer to early fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its serrated pointy leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
Black-eyed Susan is an herbaceous biennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Black-eyed Susan is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Planting & Growing
Black-eyed Susan will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and tends to be biennial, meaning that it puts on vegetative growth the first year, flowers the second, and then dies.
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.
Black-eyed Susan is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.
Bloom or Harvest Time | June, July, August, September |
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Sun Preference | Full-Sun |
USDA Hardiness Zone | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
Common Family Name | Black Eyed Susan |
Mature Spread (Range) | 12" - 24" |
Mature Height (Range) | 25" - 36" |