Research conducted and descriptions written by Burley Middle School 6th grade students in 2023 with minor editing by RCA staff.
The black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta, is a beautiful wildflower native to the eastern United States. It is a very popular garden plant and can also be found growing wild in fields and along roads. It has yellow petals with a brown floret in the center. You can tell the difference between black-eyed Susans and sunflowers because the black-eyed Susan has a smaller bud that is raised, rather than broad and flat like a sunflower’s. The petals are also thinner than a sunflower’s. This flower can be used as a medicinal and therapeutic herb that stimulates the immune system, and can be helpful for the common cold and other illnesses.
Fun fact: The black-eyed Susan is Maryland’s official state flower! The name comes from a romantic story about a woman, Susan, crying as she says goodbye to her husband as he boards a ship to sail away.