Flower ID: IMG_0828.JPG-06-19-2017 Flower name (scientific): Rudbeckia hirta Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) rood-BEK-ee-uh (or rood-BEK-e-a or rud-BEK-ee-a) HER-tah Flower name (common): Black-eyed Susan Family name (common): Aster Family name (scientific): Asteraceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Named by Linnaeus to honor the botanists Olof Rudbeck the Younger (1660–1740), and his father Olof Rudbeck the Elder (1630–1702). Specific epithet: Hairy. Common name origin: Possibly from the poem by John Gay, "Black-eyed Susan" (1720). Who Susan refers to is not known. Flower description: Size: 1.5 to 3.0 inches (3.8 to 7.6 cm) Petal count: 13, ray florets 8 to 21, disk florets 250 to 500+. Color: yellow Other: flower arrangement, Solitary Plant description: Erect Size: 12 to 36 inches (30 to 91 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple Size: Basal leaves up to 18 to 30 cm long and up to 5 to 7 cm wide. Cauline leaves up to 20 cm long and up to 4 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, elliptic, lanceolate, or ovate (FNA) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): June to October Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Biennial to perennial. Habitat: Prairies, meadows, fields, forest openings, woodland openings, disturbed areas, roadsides, sun or part shade, dry to wet. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Click for pollinator information on this flower. Similar species (if any): Rudbeckia triloba (Brown-eyed Susan) is similar, and is characterized by flowers about 1 to 2 inches wide with 6 to 13 ray florets, leaves and stem sparsely to moderately hairy, and stems reddish-green, whereas Rudbeckia hirta has flowers about 2 to 3 inches wide with 8 to 21 ray florets, and leaves and stem usually fairly hairy. Rudbeckia fulgida (Orange Coneflower, Eastern Coneflower) also has a resemblance. This latter species has a limited distribution in Wisconsin. It has flowers about 1.5 to 2.5 inches wide, 10 to 15 ray florets, and stems that are sparsely hairy. Ethnobotany: The Potawatomi prepared a tea from the roots and used it to treat colds. They also used the disc florets to prepare a yellow dye (Smith, pp. 48-49, 120, 1933). The Chippewa employed the plant to prepare a poultice for babies (Gilmore, p. 143, 1933). Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AK, AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym:Rudbeckia hirta var. hirta (The other infraspecifics are Rudbeckia hirta var. angustifolia (T. V. Moore) Perdue, Rudbeckia hirta var. floridana (T. V. Moore) Perdue, Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima Farwell. All three of these varieties occur in the US.) Wetland Status (NC): FACU Wetland Status (MW): FACU