Black-eyed Susan (Rudbekia hirta)

This vibrant and showy member of the Asteraceae family is native to the United States, and can be an amazing addition to any garden.

Though there are some beliefs that the Native American people used these plants medicinally, there is little evidence on this subject as of now. Though black-eyed Susans may not have a use readily apparent to you, they do have an extreme benefit indeed. As a pollinator attractant!

Butterflies are known to absolutely adore these flowers. Bees, moths, flies, and others will certainly stop by too.

Black-eyed Susans are typically an annual, in some cases biennial, and they will reseed themselves over and over again. They are excellent for borders, rock gardens, flower gardens, apiary gardens. They can grow up to 9000 ft and love the shade of a pine forest, making them perfect for mountain gardening.

Not every plant will bring you a marketable product (though you can easily sell these flowers fresh cut). Rather, black-eyed Susans ought to be grown for their beauty and for their native pollinator love. Go ahead and give this underrated wildflower a try on your High Altitude Homestead.