Rudbeckia Solar Sisters™

Rudbeckia Solar Sisters™: Fluffy Double Blooms That Shift Colour

Fully double blooms in yellow and orange that deepen to copper when the nights cool down. This black-eyed Susan blooms from early summer to frost, like siblings who refuse to leave the cottage. THE FAMILY VACATION THAT NEVER ENDS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Rudbeckia hirta Solar Sisters™
• Common Name: Black-Eyed Susan
• Series: A Bloomin' Easy® plant
• Height: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Spread: 30–40 cm (12–16 in)
• Flowers: Large, fully double blooms in bright yellow and orange that deepen to copper tones in cool weather
• Bloom Time: Early summer to frost (June to October)
• Foliage: Green, on a compact, upright clump with sturdy stems
• Features: Very long bloom season, compact habit

Where to Plant: Use it at the front or middle of a sunny border, or in a big pot on the patio where you can watch the colours shift. It's rated to zone 7 and our winters are colder, so treat it as a long-blooming annual or a container plant.

Companion Plants: Plant Solar Sisters™ in a sunny bed with white daisies, white veronica and soft lemon goldenrod. Leucanthemum 'Sugar Bowl' edges the front with white daisies at 20 to 25 cm from May to August. Veronica 'Snow Candles' adds white spikes at 20 to 30 cm from July to September. Solidago 'Little Lemon' brings soft lemon goldenrod at 30 to 45 cm from July to September. Schizachyrium 'Ha Ha Tonka' stands behind at 90 to 120 cm with blue-green blades tinged red.

Plant Care: Plant it in full sun in average, well-drained soil. Water regularly while it settles in, and keep an eye on containers in hot weather, since pots dry out much faster than garden beds. Snip off faded flowers to keep the plant tidy and the new buds coming. No staking is needed on its sturdy stems. After a hard frost ends the show in late fall, pull the plant and add it to the compost. If you want to try overwintering one, a very sheltered, well-drained spot is your best bet, but don't count on it.

History: Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta, is a wildflower native to eastern and central North America and has been Maryland's state flower since 1918. Solar Sisters™ was introduced through the Bloomin' Easy® program and won both the Industry's Choice and People's Choice awards at the 2025 University of Georgia Trial Garden open house.

Final Thoughts: Compact, sturdy and a pollinator magnet. Plant two and let them fight over the spotlight. SIBLING RIVALRY HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER.