Brown-eyed Susan

Brown-eyed Susan: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Loose, much-branched plant, 0.6–1.2 m tall and about 60 cm wide; behaves as a short-lived perennial or biennial.

Foliage

The lower leaves are three-lobed, the upper ones undivided; rough, hairy and dark green.

Flower

Many small yellow flowers of 3–5 cm with a dark brown cone, from August to October.

Seed

The cones darken and become domed after flowering; they hold plenty of seed that self-sows easily.

Roots

A fibrous root system; the plant lives only a few years, but seedlings take its place.

Flowering: August–October · Sowing: March–April · Plants: April–May and September · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• A cloud of small yellow flowers from August to October, just when many other plants have finished.
• Also grows in partial shade, where many other coneflowers flower less.
• Bees and butterflies visit the many flowers.
• A good cut flower with a loose, natural look.
• Self-seeds, so it returns year after year without replanting.
• Easy to sow and undemanding.

Brown-eyed Susan: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; it flowers most freely in sun.
• Sandy soil, loam or clay, acid to chalky; an undemanding plant.
• Normally moist; water occasionally in long dry spells.
• An open spot with some air movement, as in a stuffy corner it gets powdery mildew more easily.
• Allow 40–50 cm of space per plant; seedlings fill the gaps.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

1.2 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Ornamental grasses: Fine plumes suit the loose, airy cloud of flowers.
• Michaelmas daisy: Purple and blue flowers in the same late season.
• Catmint: Lilac flowers that bloom for a long time and cover the base of the plant.
• Helenium: Warm orange and red shades that flower at the same time.

Brown-eyed Susan: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September.

1. Plant in April–May or in September, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in a little compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and firm the soil well.
4. Leave 40–50 cm between plants and plant in groups of three to five for a full cloud.
5. Water in at once and spread a thin layer of mulch around the base.

Care

Water

In the first year, water weekly in dry weather. Later, water at the base during long dry spells.

Feeding

A little compost in spring. On rich soil it grows too tall and floppy.

Mulching

A thin layer of leaf mould in spring; a thick layer prevents self-seeding.

Self-seeding

Leave some of the seedheads so that new plants replace the old; pull out surplus seedlings in spring.

Support

In a windy spot the taller stems may appreciate support from twiggy branches.

Tip: Leave a few seedheads standing: it lives only a few years, but it self-seeds readily and fills the gaps itself. Sow indoors in March–April: with an early sowing it sometimes flowers the same year.

Brown-eyed Susan: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In February–March, before the new shoots start.

How:

• Cut last year’s dead stems down to just above the ground.
• Leave some of the seedheads if you want it to self-seed.
• Cut faded flowers off in summer if you want to limit self-seeding; this also prolongs flowering.

Caution: It self-seeds freely. If you do not want that, cut the seedheads off in autumn and pull out seedlings in spring.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

In March–April sow indoors in a tray, barely covering the seed. Plant out after mid-May. With an early sowing it sometimes flowers in its first year.

Moving seedlings

In spring, move seedlings that come up by themselves to another spot with a trowel.

Brown-eyed Susan: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, down to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgian winters.
• Leave the seedheads standing in winter: they provide seedlings and shelter insects.
• It is short-lived, so watch for seedlings in spring to keep the group going.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry, stuffy summers. Give it space, water at the base and cut off affected leaves.
• Slugs: Young shoots and seedlings are nibbled in spring. Pick slugs off in the evening or lay a barrier of coarse sand.
• Too many seedlings: On good soil it fills up quickly. Pull out seedlings in spring or cut off seedheads.
• Aphids: On young shoots and flower buds. Ladybirds often deal with them; otherwise rinse them off with water.

Through the year

• February: Cut dead stems down to just above the ground.
• March: Sow indoors. Apply compost.
• April: Sow indoors. Plant. Watch for slugs.
• May: Plant out after mid-May. Move seedlings.
• June: Water in dry weather.
• July: Water in dry weather. Buds form.
• August: Flowering starts. Cut flowers for the vase.
• September: Full flower. Plant.
• October: Last flowers. Leave the seedheads.
• November: Rest. Seedheads can stay standing.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The species name triloba means ‘three-lobed’ and refers to the lower leaves, which are cut into three.
• It is called brown-eyed Susan after its dark brown cone, and is often confused with the related black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta).
• In good conditions a single plant can carry dozens of flowers at once in one season.