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Black-eyed Susans are at peak bloom and feeding pollinators now

iNaturalist Community

Native Plants

Black-eyed Susans blooming in your yard or along a roadside right now are feeding the specialist bees and native butterflies that depend on late-summer nectar when most other wildflowers have already faded.

Black-eyed Susan is a cheerful yellow wildflower with a dark brown center that blooms across most of North America every summer. This week, over a thousand people submitted confirmed sightings to iNaturalist, signaling that the species is at or near peak bloom. It's a native plant that supports a wide range of pollinators and thrives in gardens with little fuss.

Key Findings

1

1,094 research-grade observations recorded in a single week on iNaturalist, placing it among the top trending plant species.

2

Surge in sightings consistent with peak mid-summer bloom period across the species' native North American range.

3

Research-grade status means each observation was confirmed by at least two independent identifiers, reflecting high community engagement.

chevron_right Technical Summary

Black-eyed Susan is surging in citizen-science observations this week, with 1,094 research-grade sightings logged on iNaturalist. The spike reflects peak summer bloom across North America, making this one of the most-documented native wildflowers of the season.

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Abstract Preview

Original paper

Trending: black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) — 1094 observations this week

black-eyed Susan is among the most observed plant species this week with 1094 research-grade observations.

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Abstract copyright held by the original publisher.

hub This connects to 11 other discoveries — Black-eyed Susan native-plants, pollinators, phenology +2 more 5 related articles

Species Mentioned

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Species
Rudbeckia hirta

Rudbeckia hirta, commonly called black-eyed Susan and yellow coneflower, is a North American flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It grows to 1 metre tall with daisy-like yellow flower heads. There are numerous cultivars. It was used medicinally by Native Americans, and is the state flower o...