Black Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia  Gold Strum

If you drove into my drive today you would be greeted by this colorful flower.   No yard should be without them, especially if you have a large yard. There are  three colors all yards need one of, orange, red, or yellow.  These are colors to move the eye from one bed to the other.  You should not plant a bed of any of these colors.  However I have broken that rule by having an all orange bed, of VaVoom roses.  When planting one of these colors in each bed the eye moves from one bed to the other.  I choose yellow.  Most of the Rubeckia family are only biennials, however Gold Strum is a perennial.  It is the most hardy flower I have ever planted.  The English was believed to have brought them over to America.  We know now they were native here, from the East coast to Texas. The Vine was named after the Black Eye Susan, a great market ploy.  The name came from this poem of an English poet. In honor of a Susan with dark brown eyes. 
                                

  This is a portrait painted of Susan and a poem written by John Gay.                   

  All in the downs, the fleet moored
  Banners waving in the wind
  When Black Eyed Susan came 
  aboard, and eyed the burly men,
  "Tell me ye sailors. tell me true
   Does my Sweet William sail with you?" 
   
    "Though battle calls me from thy arms
                              Let not my pretty Susan morn,
                              Though cannons roar, yet safe from harm,
                              William shall to his Dear return
                              Love turns aside the balls that round me fly
                              Lest precious tears should drop from Susan's eye"
    
There where many more more stanzas telling Susan, William was high on the rigging and she waited for him to come down.  On this page they said the Sweet Williams in England bloomed at the same time as the Black Eyed Susan..
The Black eye Susan is the state flower of Massachusetts . In Baltimore they have the run for "The Black eyed Susan."  The winning horse gets a horse shoe wreath made of Black Eyed Susans around his neck.

There are many perennials using the Backed Susan as the base.  Gold Strum is the longest living one.  The weed Black Eyed Susan is not the stock of the Gold Strum.

 
This picture shows where I have the four beds of the  Rudbeckia Gold Strum around my yard.  The weeds along the road side drop seed so it comes back year after year.  The Gold Strum may drop seeds I do not know, I do know it sends out roots.  You really have to control it.  I think this flower would take over all my beds if I let it.

Rudbeckia Gold Strum and a Potato vine

There is a season for everything, these bloom the last week in June, all of July and part of August.  I miss my Lilies, some will continue to bloom.

   
These are some of the plants from Gold Strum stock.  They are planted one year and bloom the next.  They only live two years.

Gold Strum and Lavender Mums blooming now

 
I hope you have enjoyed this page about the Black Eyed Susan, I enjoyed reading about them.  Thank you for watching my garden grow and bloom.  Hope you have one of your own.  Happy gardening from Carrel and I, Juanita.