Full sun preferred!

I originally had mine in full sun (Rudbeckia Goldstrum) and I have to say, they grew so tall and fat, they were like a shrub. I didn't like them so huge. I moved them to a morning sun location and prefer them there. They still grow quite vigorously. Could have been other factors involved.

A black eyed susan will take all the sun you can possibly give it, and more. I will also add, they need minimal water and will grow even better in dryer, less fertile soil. I have had root rot occasionally from too much water and a very rich soil near the house. They flourish in my "rough" garden, far from the house where I never water and rarely mulch.

My original Goldsturms grew and spread in full sun on the southwest corner of my house, but eventually after 4 or 5 years developed a black mildew problem which got worse every year thereafter. I believe the mildew was a combination of my naturally wettish clay and my crazy neighbor who watered his grass (and oversprayed into my yard) twice a day.

Anyway, I removed this big patch of BESs one windy fall day. The next season I had BES seedlings in several different areas of my garden. Each year they have spread to more areas. I have removed many of them, but they keep popping up.

They seem totally oblivious to encroaching shade in my 15 year old garden, easily settling in happily in nearly full shade, if the area is dry enough for them. They have become a real nuisance in my hosta beds under two Coralburst Crabapple trees. These are wonderfully shaped trees, but provide low dense shade. BES is crowding out and growing through these hostas, as well as gobbling up my somewhat limited tree shade, faster than I can remove the BESs. So far they have not invaded any building shade areas.

They enjoy full sun, but they will bloom in quite a bit of shade, and their bright color shows up better on the darker background. Since I have more shade than sun, I prefer them in the shade.

Mine do fine in sun or shade:

Shade ones:
{{gwi:262529}}

Lynda

Here is a link that might be useful: Big patch of ones in the shade of a giant oak tree

Please note by "Black-eyed Susans" preferring full sun, I am referring to Rudbeckia hirta and all its varieties.

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' on the other hand, as others have indicated, although also preferring full sun, it can perform well in partial shade.

Good distinction, Coolplantsguy. I always appreciate the plant knowledge you provide in your postings.

I don't know one from the other, Lynda which ones are yours? I saw a bunch this past weekend on a garden tour and liked them.

Are there any that are more delicate or less huge than others?
I thought they were all monsters and avoided them for years.

The ones in my photo are Rudbeckia hirta - they grow wild around here.

All of the rudbeckias in the weed whacker garden in that link grew there on their own - self sown from wild ones. All I did was weed whack out competing weeds early in the growing season.

Generally our hirtas like open sunny areas, but they don't mind the shade a bit. They just don't out compete shade weeds quite as well without a little help.

Lynda