Flowers have their own time of blooming, which makes it possible to enjoy different flowers in different seasons. They can live and bring color to any garden, yard, fields and many more places. Black-eyed Susan is one such flower that adds a dash of yellow where it is planted.
When do black-eyed Susans bloom?
Black-eyed Susans tend to start blooming in June and continue till September. They are known to be versatile and are able to grow and bloom for weeks with minimal care. Heat and drought are unable to stop them from blooming; they can tolerate both and grow despite high temperatures or lack of water.
Black-eyed Susans grow and bloom best when they receive sun daily for at least 6 to 8 hours.
This proves that the summer months are the perfect time for them to bloom but there is an interesting fact related to their blooming period, black-eyed Susans might bloom at different times in different regions even though it is the exact same plant!
Therefore the black-eyed Susans in a New York garden may bloom a little sooner or later than the black-eyed Susans located in a farmer’s field in Minnesota!
Now that we are aware they grow at different times, let us take a brief look at when the black-eyed Susans bloom in these different locations.
Maryland:
If you are visiting Maryland during the summer, especially anytime between May to October. There is a high chance that you are going to spot these yellow rays of sunshine which are also the official state flower of Maryland since 1918.
The black-eyed Susan blooms during that time in the roadsides and old fields of Maryland where the soil has been disturbed. Their sweet nectar is relished and enjoyed by insects, butterflies, bees and a few small birds throughout the entire summer.
Ohio:
In Ohio, the black-eyed Susans bloom by opening up their velvety yellow petals from June to October.
They do not require a lot of care or attention to bloom during the summer months. However, removing the spent flowers will cause an increase in the number of blooms and cause them to bloom more frequently.
Pennsylvania:
Black-eyed Susan which are also called Rudbeckia hirta blooms in Pennsylvania. The yellow and orange petals can be noticed from the months of June all the way to October.
They mainly bloom in the western part of Pennsylvania and reach upto a height of 24 inches. They are also resistant to a lot of diseases that can plague a great number of flowering plants.
Minnesota:
The people in Minnesota get the chance to enjoy the sight of the gray black-eyed Susans starting from July – when summer is at it’s peak – well into October as the autumn chill arrives.
The black-eyed Susan is known to rise from a taproot and then gets distributed to multiple stems from which it blooms sunny yolk yellow flowers.
New York:
The black-eyed Susans bloom in the concrete jungle of New York city from June to September.
They are a familiar sight in New York State, especially in the fields. Even though a majority of the wildflowers found in New York are from Eurasia, black-eyed Susans happen to be of native, North American species.
Wisconsin:
Black-eyed Susans are a native flower in Wisconsin which grow plentiful during the summer months as they require full sunlight.
Therefore, you will be able to spot black-eyed Susans in banks of the Marion Dunn Pond which is situated in Madison, Wisconsin from June all the way to September. They add color to the otherwise earthy palette of the river banks.
Massachusetts:
The hot summer months from July to August in Massachusetts welcomes the black-eyed Susan. Their blooms resemble those of a daisy and their blooms are usually are 2 to 3 inches wide.
The blooms will last for about a month, after which new blooms will replace them once the spent flowers are removed.
Do black-eyed Susans bloom the first year?
Black-eyed Susans typically do not start blooming in the first year. So, there is no reason to be alarmed. The blooms will most likely come in the summer of the second year.
But even though it isn’t usually, there are some exceptional cases where the black-eyed Susans will begin blooming from the very first summer.
Despite there being no fool-proof way of ensuring they bloom in the first year, you can try planting the seeds indoors prior to 6 weeks of the last frost date. Doing this might help the black-eyed Susan start to bloom from the first year.
Do black-eyed Susans bloom all summer?
A large number of people prefer to grow black-eyed Susan in their gardens and yards because it starts to bloom with the arrival of summer and continues well into fall. In fact, the flowers don’t stop blooming till the first frost begins.
And not to mention how low-maintenance this flowering plant is, which makes it such a great summer flower to decorate any space with. And since it is heat and drought tolerant, you will not have to worry too much about sunlight or maintaining a strict watering schedule.
Why are my black-eyed Susans not blooming?
Black-eyed Susans are plants that are tolerant of a lot of things and continue to thrive without much care. However, in some instances they cannot protect themselves which stunts their growth and stops them from blooming.
Not enough sunlight:
Sunlight is an essential ingredient when it comes to the growth of black-eyed Susans but if they are left in a place with direct, harsh sunlight from over 8 overs on a daily basis then it can stop the flowers from blooming.
Lack of pruning:
If you do not prune your black-eyed Susans, it can stop blooming.
Lack of fertilizer:
Fertilizers help plant immensely but if you add an excess amount of fertilizer to the soil, it will have an adverse effect and prevent the flowers of the black-eyed Susans from blooming.
Fungus:
Fungus can sometimes infect black-eyed Susan plants and also the soil it is planted in. This will not only stop it from blooming but will eventually terminate the plant and leave the soil ruined.
How to keep black-eyed Susans blooming?
If you want to help your black-eyed Susans keep blooming all summer long then there are some ways you can prompt it to bloom lovely yellow flowers.
Remove dry parts:
You must remove the spent blossoms. This will help newer flowers to bloom and also make the plant more sturdy and compact. Because leaving spent flowers on the plant will prevent new blooms.
Maintain PH level:
If possible make sure the soil has a neutral pH and avoid using too much fertilizer. And try not to over-water the plant as well as these things can stop the black-eyed Susans from blooming.
Provide sunlight:
The plant should be in a place where it can get plenty of sunlight and fresh air combined with minimal shade. This will promote your black-eyed Susans to grow and bloom in a healthy way.
What to do with black-eyed Susans after they bloom?
If the black-eyed Susans have bloomed all summer long and autumn is beginning to roll in, here are a few things you can do:
Cut down the flower:
The first option is, you can cut the black-eyed Susans to about 4 inches or 10 cm tall when summer changes to autumn.
Turn them to seeds:
However, in case you want a few more black-eyed Susans in your domain, you should allow the last blooms of the season to turn to seeds which will later be carried by birds.
Cut the seed head:
You can also cut the tops of the seed heads and let them dry. The dried seeds can be used to propagate new black-eyed Susans.
When do black-eyed Susans stop blooming?
Black-eyed Susans usually stop blooming as autumn arrives, bringing with it chilly winds. Before that they enjoy to the fullest in the summer sun and continue to bloom.
Since they are perennials, they will continue to return year after year and you might even notice your black-eyed Susans multiplying which are caused by reseeding.
But some black-eyed Susans may cease to bloom completely if they have gotten too old or sometimes excessive fertilizer in the soil, over-watering, harsh sun rays or infection caused by fungus can stop black-eyed Susans from blooming.
Final Thoughts
Black-eyed Susans are a summer flower; they bloom when summer is at its peak. They continue to thrive well into autumn. The flowers need little care and assistance to bloom and are resistant to heat, drought and a lot of insects which is why you will notice them growing unassisted in many places.