Rudbeckia hirta 

Black-Eyed Susan

Names and Myths

Rudbeckia Of Rudbeck (Prof. Olaf Rudbeck 1630-1702) named by Linnaeus.

hirta rough, hairy refering to the stem.⁵⁴

Natural history / Folklore

Linnaeus had just written his classification system when he met Rudbeck the Younger, it was based on counting male and female reproductive parts, thereby allowing anyone to sort plants into the 23 classes.⁵⁴ The Rudbecks took Linnaeus in, hired him as a tutor ending his days of poverty, and he named the plants in their honor saying "So long as the earth shall survive and as each spring shall see it covered with flowers, the Rudbeckia will preserve your glourious name."⁵⁴

Black-eyed Susan’s flower color attracts insects which feed on the abundant pollen, the nectar draws bees, butterflies and moths.⁶ The plant is the source of many shades of dye, and was also used to treat skin infections²³ and intestinal worms.⁹

Description

June - October, A tall plant with Orange flowers, stems and leaves hairy. Center of flower dark brown, ray petals orange-yellow. Roadsides and fields