When to plant and prune Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan)
Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan) flowers from early August to late October and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan) is grown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the same dates apply across the whole UK and every region below reads the same. Where a plant’s timings do follow the frost, Plot shifts them from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| South Coast and Channel | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| South East and Home Counties | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| East Anglia | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| Wales and West Coast | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| Northern England | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| Northern Ireland | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | mid March to early May | early August to late October | mid February to mid March |
Growing notes
Single-flowered kinds are far better for pollinators than doubles. Divide clumps every three to five years in early spring, and either stake the tall types or give them the Chelsea chop in late May.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 45 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 100 cm
- Eventual spread
- 60 cm
- Hardiness
- H6
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- No
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 15 litres or more
- Balcony rating
- 3 out of 5
Feeding
Spring mulch; container plants benefit from a liquid feed in summer.
Pruning group
Cut old stems to the base in late winter or early spring; leaving the seedheads standing over winter gives structure and feeds birds.
What usually goes wrong
- powdery mildew
- aphids
- slugs and snails
- flopping in rich soil
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for rudbeckia (black-eyed susan).