Farmers Market Find: Hybrid Black-Eyed Susans Bloom All Summer

If you are a gardener who treasures plants that bloom for extended periods of time, look for Peter Uhlianuk and his hybrid Black-eyed Susans at the this weekend.

What sets this new class of Black-Eyed Susan (Rudabeckia Hirta) apart is its vigor and long-lasting flowers.

“These hybrids bloom all summer,” said Uhlianuk, of Romeo. “All the way from the Fourth of July through Labor Day.”

He has about five types of the hybrids, including a variety called Tiger Eyes.

Ordinary Black-Eyed Susans, the kind you see along the highway, are tall and thin, and bloom only in July, Uhlianuk said. "It’s likely they’ll have no more than eight to 10 petals each," he said. "The hybrids have three times as many.” That’s because they have two sets of petals around their chocolate-colored centers.

Uhlianuk describes the flowers as easy to care for. “They love the sun and can take it dry,” he said. “You can water when you plant them, and then forget about it.”

The Tiger-Eyes Uhlianuk brought to the Farmers Market last weekend were spectacular. He said they had already reached their normal height of 16-24 inches and had never been in a greenhouse.

Gardeners can look forward to more hyrbrid varieties of Black-Eyed Susans this weekend. The Tiger Eyes are $15 a pot.

Uhlianuk is personable and extremely knowledgable about flowers. He’s not shy, so ask him a question, he’ll be happy to give you a helpful answer. You can find him and his large assortment of plants near the south entrance of the market. 

Come back to Royal Oak Patch next Friday for another Farmers Market find.