Black-Eyed Susan vs Rocky Mountain Fescue - TreeTime.ca

Black-Eyed Susan vs Rocky Mountain Fescue

Rudbeckia hirta

Festuca saximontana

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Black-Eyed Susan
Rocky Mountain Fescue

Black-Eyed Susan is a striking native wildflower known for its bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with dark center disks. With deadheading, the plant can bloom for an extended period, from mid-summer to early fall. These cheerful flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Adding to its ecological value, the plant also acts as a host for the Wavy-Lined Emerald Moth (Synchlora aerata) and the Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) butterfly.

While it is typically a short-lived perennial or biennial, the plant freely self-seeds. This allows it to persist in the landscape, particularly in natural areas where it can spread and establish itself. This plant is drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, and deer and rabbit-resistant, making it ideal for challenging environments. The Black-Eyed Susan is well suited to wildflower gardens, pollinator gardens, as well as slopes, banks, and naturalized areas

As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Rocky Mountain Fescue is a native perennial bunchgrass recognized for its fine-textured clumps and adaptability to harsh environments. It grows well in dry, rocky, and nutrient-poor soils and is highly cold-tolerant, making it well-suited to both prairie and alpine habitats. Its fibrous root system contributes to soil stability and helps reduce erosion on slopes and shallow soils.
Widespread across western and northern North America, Rocky Mountain Fescue is an important component of many prairie and alpine ecosystems. It contributes ground cover and organic matter that support soil function, provides cover for small wildlife, and offers moderate forage for grazing animals. Hardy and versatile, it is used in ecological restoration, naturalization, and habitat enhancement projects, particularly in upland and alpine landscapes.

Black-Eyed Susan Quick Facts

Rocky Mountain Fescue Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: very fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: bright yellow; daisy-like
Bloom time: early summer to fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: SK, MB, ON
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: hairy coneflower
Other Names: mountain fescue