Brown Eyed Susan
What is brown eyed susan?
Key facts
| Scientific name | Rudbeckia triloba[1] |
|---|---|
| Family | Asteraceae[1] |
| Common names | branched coneflower; thin-leaved coneflower; three-lobed coneflower; brown-eyed Susan[1] |
| Native range | eastern and Midwestern U.S.[1] |
| Flower color | yellow ray flowers; brownish-black disk[1] |
| Plant type | herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial[1] |
Brown eyed susan is a common name for *Rudbeckia triloba*, a North American wildflower with yellow ray flowers and a brownish central disk. It is sometimes also used for *Rudbeckia hirta*, the Black Eyed Susan. [1]
Context
Brown eyed susan is a common name for *Rudbeckia triloba*, a flowering plant in the daisy family. It is native to the eastern and Midwestern U.S. and naturalized in open woods, old fields, and rocky slopes. The plant has lower leaves divided into three oval parts and flowerheads with 6-12 yellow to orange ray flowers around a brownish cone. It is smaller in diameter and has fewer ray petals than black-eyed Susan. Some sources also use the name for *Rudbeckia hirta*. [1]
Documented claims
Questions and answers
What's the difference between a brown-eyed susan and a Black-eyed Susan?
Brown-eyed susan (*Rudbeckia triloba*) has smaller flowerheads and fewer ray petals than black-eyed Susan (*Rudbeckia hirta*). Some sources also call *Rudbeckia hirta* brown-eyed Susan. [1]
Is brown-eyed Susan perennial?
Brown-eyed Susan is an herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial. [1]
Sources
- Brown-Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia triloba - Wisconsin Horticulture — hort.extension.wisc.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)