Do black-eyed Susans come back every year?

Rudbeckia fulgida does; NC State, Illinois and Clemson rate it a hardy perennial. Rudbeckia hirta is a biennial or short-lived perennial that Clemson says to treat as an annual, though it often self-seeds.

Should you cut back black-eyed Susans in the fall?

Penn State says to save cleanup until spring so birds can feed on the seeds, and NC State to leave the seed heads as winter food. Clemson says dead stems can come off in the fall, winter or early spring.

Why do black-eyed Susan leaves get black spots?

Penn State names Septoria leaf spot, a fungal disease, and angular leaf spot, a bacterial one that ‘Goldsturm’ is particularly prone to. Clemson says leaf spots are encouraged by wet leaves and recommends spacing and drip irrigation.

Plants · Flowers

Black-eyed Susan planting zones

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia species and hybrids) is a perennial. By the type table below, at least one type lives through winter in the ground in 3a–10b; outside those zones, none of the types on this page is rated. Below the types are the dates its year turns on: each zone’s median last spring freeze and first fall freeze, from NOAA records.

Published October 26, 2026 · Cite this page

The types

Which black-eyed susan to grow

Type	Hardy in the ground	Notes
Perennial black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia fulgida (e.g. ‘Goldsturm’, ‘American Gold Rush’, ‘Little Goldstar’)	3a to 9b, then too hot or humid	NC State’s plant toolbox rates it 3a to 9b; Illinois says 3–9 and Clemson 4–9. It spreads by rhizomes into large clumps (NC State).
Gloriosa daisy Rudbeckia hirta (e.g. ‘Indian Summer’, ‘Cherry Brandy’, ‘Denver Daisy’)	3a to 10b, then too hot or humid	A biennial or short-lived perennial that Clemson says to treat as an annual. NC State rates it 3a to 8b, UF/IFAS 2 through 11.
Brown-eyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba	4a to 8b, then too hot or humid	Clemson: native all over eastern North America, short-lived, and self-seeds; it works well in naturalized areas.
Giant coneflower Rudbeckia maxima	5a to 9b, then too hot or humid	Clemson says it is native to the Southern United States. Illinois describes it as very tall, 6 to 8 feet, with striking blue foliage.

Zone ranges are a judgement: horticultural convention set beside what the sources below say, not a measurement. In the next table the freeze dates are measured, and the count of hardy types comes from these judged ranges.

Zone by zone

Where black-eyed susan lives through winter, and when the freezes fall

Each date is the median across every NOAA station the zone’s ZIP codes cite, 1991–2020 normals. The middle half of those stations falls within the range shown beside it.

Zone	Types hardy in the ground	Last spring freeze	First fall freeze
3a	2 of 4	only 10 stations with comparable freeze dates — too few to publish a date
3b	2 of 4	May 18 · middle half May 15 – May 25	September 23 · middle half September 17 – September 26
4a	3 of 4	May 15 · middle half May 10 – May 21	September 27 · middle half September 22 – September 30
4b	3 of 4	May 11 · middle half May 5 – May 23	September 30 · middle half September 23 – October 3
5a	4 of 4	May 9 · middle half May 1 – May 20	October 2 · middle half September 26 – October 7
5b	4 of 4	May 4 · middle half April 27 – May 15	October 8 · middle half October 1 – October 14
6a	4 of 4	May 1 · middle half April 24 – May 9	October 14 · middle half October 5 – October 20
6b	4 of 4	April 25 · middle half April 17 – May 3	October 20 · middle half October 11 – October 24
7a	4 of 4	April 19 · middle half April 11 – April 27	October 23 · middle half October 17 – October 28
7b	4 of 4	April 8 · middle half April 3 – April 16	October 30 · middle half October 25 – November 3
8a	4 of 4	March 30 · middle half March 25 – April 5	November 5 · middle half November 1 – November 10
8b	4 of 4	March 20 · middle half March 13 – March 29	November 12 · middle half November 7 – November 18
9a	3 of 4	March 5 · middle half February 24 – March 15	November 24 · middle half November 18 – December 2
9b	3 of 4	February 12 · middle half January 30 – February 25	December 8 · middle half December 1 – December 17
10a	1 of 4	107 of 190 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from
10b	1 of 4	70 of 79 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from
11a	0 of 4	34 of 34 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from
11b	0 of 4	12 of 12 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from

“Types hardy in the ground” is a judgement, from the type table above. The freeze dates are measured.

A zone does not tell you your own dates. Inside a single zone the median last spring freeze still varies by 34 days from station to station, so the box below gives the dates of the NOAA station nearest your ZIP code.

Your ZIP code

Your ZIP, your answer

Enter your ZIP code to see your USDA zone, how many of the 4 types on this page live through that zone’s winter and when its freezes fall, read from the table on this page, and the freeze dates of the NOAA station nearest you.

This box needs JavaScript to answer on the page. Without it, the button opens the ZIP code zone finder; your zone’s row is in the table on this page.

Your answer appears here.

Full details for any ZIP code: ZIP code zone finder.

Which black-eyed Susan for your zone

Penn State Extension says the name black-eyed Susan is used for two different plants. One is Thunbergia alata, a tropical vine grown as an annual. The other, and the one this page covers, is Rudbeckia, chiefly Rudbeckia fulgida and Rudbeckia hirta, two North American natives.

Rudbeckia fulgida is the long-lived perennial. NC State Extension’s plant toolbox rates it zones 3a to 9b, University of Illinois Extension zones 3 to 9, and Clemson’s Home & Garden Information Center 4 to 9. NC State says it spreads by underground stems into large clumps, keeps a rosette of leaves through winter, and bears up under hot, humid summers.

Rudbeckia hirta is different. NC State calls it a biennial or short-lived perennial, often mistaken for an annual because it blooms the first year from seed; Clemson says to treat it as an annual, since it may endure few winters but often self-seeds prolifically. Penn State says the same of its cultivars ‘Autumn Colors’ and ‘Cherry Brandy’. NC State rates it 3a to 8b; the UF/IFAS fact sheet, written for Florida, gives zones 2 through 11 and says its high salt tolerance suits it to planting near the beach.

Clemson also names two natives: Rudbeckia triloba, a short-lived, self-seeding perennial native across eastern North America, and Rudbeckia maxima, native to the Southern United States, which Illinois describes as 6 to 8 feet tall with striking blue foliage.

Planting and starting from seed

Clemson calls early fall the best time to plant perennial rudbeckia, with mid-April also possible, and plants annual rudbeckia in spring after the last chance of frost. Penn State plants in late spring or in fall about six weeks before the first frost, and says buying transplants is probably the better option than sowing purchased seed in the ground.

Penn State says rudbeckia seed germinates best after a period of cold. Refrigerate it before sowing indoors under lights about ten weeks before the danger of frost is past, or sow it in a container outdoors in the fall. Clemson says plants from seed may take 2 years or more to become sizable, and that division is the best way to propagate rudbeckia.

Full sun suits them best; NC State, Penn State and Clemson all say they tolerate partial shade. NC State says black-eyed Susan thrives in any but soggy soils, and Penn State that it adapts to clay, alkaline or acid pH and gravelly soils. NC State warns against planting Rudbeckia hirta at the edge of a lawn, where lawn fertilizer gives it too much nitrogen.

Supplies

Supplies the sources mention

Each link opens an Amazon search for a plain kind of product, not one we picked. We have not tested these, and we do not rank them.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and changes nothing on this page: the dates are NOAA’s and the advice is the extension services’. Affiliate disclosure

Rudbeckia seedsPenn State refrigerates the seed and sows it indoors under lights about ten weeks before the danger of frost is past.
Rabbit fencingPenn State says newly planted rudbeckia is irresistible to rabbits and to protect young plants until they are established.

Dividing black-eyed Susans

Clemson divides rudbeckia every 3 to 4 years, in early spring or fall, to prevent overcrowding. Illinois says Rudbeckia fulgida needs division every 3 to 4 years to stay vigorous and keep it from spreading, and NC State propagates it by division in spring or fall.

Deadheading, fall cleanup and the seed heads

In summer, Clemson and Penn State both say deadheading, and cutting flowers for bouquets, encourages more blooms. In fall the sources lean toward leaving the seed heads. Penn State says several species of birds feast on the mature seeds if the flower heads are left intact, and to save cleanup until spring. NC State says to leave the seed heads on as a winter food source for birds, and that songbirds, especially American goldfinches, feed on the seeds in the fall.

Clemson says dead foliage and stems can be removed in the fall, winter or early spring. Illinois and the UF/IFAS fact sheet both warn that black-eyed Susans reseed; UF/IFAS says the seedlings can become weeds in nearby beds.

Common problems

Penn State says rudbeckia can suffer from powdery mildew and Septoria leaf spot, and that thinning plants and avoiding overhead watering may help. It singles out ‘American Gold Rush’ for its resistance to Septoria leaf spot, and says ‘Goldsturm’ is particularly prone to angular leaf spot, a bacterial disease. Clemson lists powdery mildew, bacterial and fungal leaf spots, stem rots, downy mildew and rusts, all encouraged by wet leaves, and recommends spacing, removing dead plant material and drip irrigation.

NC State says Rudbeckia hirta is susceptible to powdery mildew, snails and slugs. Clemson names aphids, caterpillars, Japanese beetles and two-spotted spider mites as pests, usually minor. Penn State says the coarse, hairy foliage gives some deer resistance, but that newly planted rudbeckia is irresistible to rabbits, so protect young plants until they are established.

Common mistakes

Buying Rudbeckia hirta and expecting it back for years. Clemson says to treat it as an annual that may endure few winters.
Sowing purchased seed straight into the bed. Penn State says the seed needs a cold period first and transplants are probably the better option.
Planting at a lawn edge. NC State says lawn fertilizer gives Rudbeckia hirta too much nitrogen.
Cutting everything down in fall. Penn State and NC State say birds feed on the seeds through winter.
Leaving young plants unprotected from rabbits. Penn State says new plantings are irresistible to them.

We found no Texas, Louisiana or Alabama source for black-eyed Susans that we could read; Texas A&M AgriLife, LSU AgCenter and Alabama Extension did not load from here. Southern advice on this page comes from South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida.

Questions

Do black-eyed Susans come back every year?: Rudbeckia fulgida does; NC State, Illinois and Clemson rate it a hardy perennial. Rudbeckia hirta is a biennial or short-lived perennial that Clemson says to treat as an annual, though it often self-seeds.
Should you cut back black-eyed Susans in the fall?: Penn State says to save cleanup until spring so birds can feed on the seeds, and NC State to leave the seed heads as winter food. Clemson says dead stems can come off in the fall, winter or early spring.
When should you divide black-eyed Susans?: Clemson divides every 3 to 4 years in early spring or fall. Illinois says Rudbeckia fulgida needs division every 3 to 4 years to stay vigorous and keep it from spreading.
Why do black-eyed Susan leaves get black spots?: Penn State names Septoria leaf spot, a fungal disease, and angular leaf spot, a bacterial one that ‘Goldsturm’ is particularly prone to. Clemson says leaf spots are encouraged by wet leaves and recommends spacing and drip irrigation.

Sources

Freeze dates on this page are NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, for every station the ZIP codes in each zone cite. Zones are the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. The type table is a judgement, as labelled above. Growing advice is quoted from the extension publications below, each written for its own area.

Penn State Extension, Black-Eyed Susan: Beautiful and Beneficial , by Lois Miklas and Denise D’Aurora (Updated April 8, 2026). Written for: Pennsylvania (USDA zones 5b–8a).
Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center, Rudbeckia (HGIC 1192) , by Andrew Jeffers (Published March 1, 2017). Written for: South Carolina (USDA zones 8a–9b).
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Rudbeckia fulgida (black-eyed Susan) . Written for: North Carolina (USDA zones 6b–9a).
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Rudbeckia hirta (black-eyed Susan) . Written for: North Carolina (USDA zones 6b–9a).
University of Illinois Extension, Black Eyed Susan . Written for: Illinois (USDA zones 5a–7a).
UF/IFAS EDIS, Rudbeckia hirta: Blackeyed Susan, Gloriosa Daisy (FPS512) , by Edward F. Gilman, Teresa Howe, Ryan W. Klein and Gail Hansen . Written for: Florida (USDA zones 8b–11b).

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Published October 26, 2026

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