Black-Eyed Susan in Zone 11a & 11b
Rudbeckia hirta
When to plant black-eyed susan in zone 11b
Zones 11a and 11b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.
Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Black-Eyed Susan tolerates either.
| Start indoors | Nov 13–Nov 20 |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Dec 11–Dec 18 |
| Estimated bloom | Feb 19 '27–Feb 26 '27 (~70 days after planting) |
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 2-3 ft.
Black-eyed Susan is one of the few flowers that rewards low effort in a way that feels almost unfair. Sow it, keep it in the sun, ignore it. It germinates readily, flowers in its first summer, and carries on through drought and heat that has the rest of the border sulking, standing 2 to 3 feet tall with the classic golden-yellow daisy petals ringing a raised, dark brown-black center.
How black-eyed susan fits zone 11's season
Zone 11b is frost-free in this dataset, so frost is not what limits the calendar here. What you can plant, and when, comes down to summer heat and daylength instead.
Good companions
No standout companions recorded yet for Black-Eyed Susan.
Where to buy black-eyed susan seeds
See why we recommend these suppliers →
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing black-eyed susan" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 11b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Black-Eyed Susan in USDA zone 11b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.
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