Rudbeckia hirta Autumn Colors | Black-Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Autumn Colors’ is a spectacular variety loved for its rich, warm colour palette inspired by autumn. Large daisy-like flowers appear in beautiful combinations of golden yellow, bronze, copper, rust, mahogany and reddish-brown, often with contrasting darker centres.

Each plant can produce slightly different colour combinations, giving plantings and bouquets a wonderfully natural, varied appearance.

With flowers reaching up to approximately 15 cm across and plants growing around 55 cm tall, Autumn Colors is an excellent choice for cut flower gardens, sunny borders, large containers and landscape plantings.

It flowers in its first year from seed and provides months of colour through summer and into early autumn.

Plant Information

• Botanical name: Rudbeckia hirta
• Variety: Autumn Colors
• Common name: Black-Eyed Susan
• Type: Short-lived perennial, usually grown as an annual
• Height: Approx. 55 cm
• Flower size: Up to approx. 15 cm
• Flower colour: Bronze, copper, rust, mahogany and reddish-brown shades
• Flowering period: Summer – early autumn
• First-year flowering: Yes
• Exposure: Full sun
• Germination: Approx. 8–14 days
• Germination temperature: 20–22 °C
• Seed form: Pelleted seed
• Use: Cut flowers, borders, beds, containers and landscape planting

How Long from Seed to Flower?

Under suitable growing conditions:

Spring sowing: 15–19 weeks = approximately 105–133 days

Summer sowing: 13–15 weeks = approximately 91–105 days

Autumn Colors flowers in its first year from seed, so there is no need to wait until the following season.

These crop times are based on optimal professional growing conditions. Temperature, light levels and growing conditions can influence the actual flowering date.

For an early and long summer display, starting the seeds indoors is recommended.

Sowing & Germination

For earlier flowers, start seeds indoors approximately 6–8 weeks before the last expected spring frost.

Sow 2–3 seeds per plug into a fine, well-drained seed-starting mix.

Maintain a temperature of approximately 20–22 °C.

Under good conditions, germination takes approximately 8–14 days.

Keep the growing medium consistently moist during germination, but avoid waterlogging.

Growing On

Once seedlings are well established, transplant them into larger cells or individual pots.

Recommended temperatures for young plants are approximately:

• Day: 15–18 °C
• Night: 10–13 °C

For faster development, warmer conditions around 18–20 °C are beneficial.

Temperatures below approximately 16 °C can considerably slow growth and may cause reddish colouring of the foliage.

Rudbeckia hirta is frost sensitive, so transplant outdoors only after the danger of frost has passed.

Light & Flowering

Autumn Colors is a long-day plant.

A day length of at least approximately 14 hours encourages flower initiation. Under short-day conditions, plants can remain vegetative for longer and flowering may be delayed.

The naturally long days of late spring and early summer are therefore ideal for developing strong plants and encouraging flowering.

Position & Soil

Plant Autumn Colors in full sun for the strongest growth, abundant flowering and rich flower colours.

Choose fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid permanently wet or waterlogged locations.

When growing in containers, use a high-quality, free-draining potting mix.

Watering & Feeding

Water regularly while young plants establish. Once established, allow the upper layer of soil to dry slightly between waterings.

Feed moderately during active growth with a balanced fertilizer.

Avoid excessive nitrogen, as this can encourage lush foliage at the expense of flowering and strong plant structure.

Excellent Cut Flower

Autumn Colors is particularly beautiful in a cut flower garden.

The large flowers and unusual combination of gold, bronze, copper and mahogany tones make it especially valuable for late-summer and autumn bouquets.

Its warm colours combine beautifully with dahlias, zinnias, amaranthus, sunflowers, grasses and seed heads.

Regular harvesting also encourages plants to continue producing flowers.

Flowering

Autumn Colors naturally flowers from summer into early autumn, with July to September being a typical main flowering period.

Regularly cutting flowers for bouquets or removing faded blooms helps prolong flowering.

Why Grow Autumn Colors?

The main attraction of Autumn Colors is its exceptional variation in flower colour. Instead of producing one uniform shade, the plants develop flowers across a warm autumn spectrum.

Expect combinations of:

Golden yellow • Amber • Bronze • Copper • Rust • Mahogany • Reddish brown

This natural variation makes every planting slightly different and is particularly attractive for garden-style floral design.

The impressive flowers can reach approximately 15 cm across, yet the plants remain a manageable 55 cm tall, making Autumn Colors suitable for both garden beds and containers.

Perfect for

Cut flowers • Late-summer bouquets • Autumn bouquets • Sunny borders • Cottage gardens • Naturalistic planting • Large containers • Landscape planting

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Autumn Colors’ is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an easy-to-grow, first-year flowering Rudbeckia with exceptionally large blooms in rich golden, bronze, copper and mahogany autumn shades.