Black-eyed Susan Pollen Color

Rudbeckia hirta

Black-eyed Susan pollen is shown in the orange and amber color family as general visual guidance. Use this page as a reference for pollen appearance, bloom timing, plant type, bee forage value, and available hardiness context.

Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.

Visual guideBlack-eyed Susan pollen

Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz · CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Facts

SeasonSummer to Fall
USDA Zone3 - 9
Plant TypeWildflower
ForagePollen and nectar
Pollen ValueMedium
Nectar ValueLow
Color FamilyOrange and amber
Scientific NameRudbeckia hirta
Common NamesBlack-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan
Reviewed2026-10-11

Quick Answer

Black-eyed Susan pollen is shown in this guide as an orange and amber tone. It is listed as wildflower, associated with summer to fall bloom timing, USDA zone 3 - 9, and pollen and nectar forage value.

Pollen Color Notes

The visual color shown for Black-eyed Susan is grouped broadly with orange and amber pollen tones. It is intended for comparison and identification support, not as a laboratory measurement.

Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.

Bloom, Zone, and Forage Context

Black-eyed Susan is listed for summer to fall. The record lists USDA zone 3 - 9; hardiness zones are planning context, not a precise flowering calendar. Approximate bloom months in the supplemental notes: June, July, August, September, October.

Its forage type is pollen and nectar, with pollen value marked as medium and nectar value marked as low. Open heads provide pollen and some nectar to a range of bees through summer and early fall.

Identification Notes

A hairy annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial with yellow ray florets surrounding a dark brown raised disk.

Flower color note: Yellow rays with a dark brown center. Flower color and pollen color may differ.

Related by Similar Color

False Indigo Bush - Orange and amber Squash - Orange and amber Daffodil - Orange and amber Courgette - Orange and amber Blueberry - Orange and amber Buddleia - Orange and amber

Related by Season

Alfalfa - Summer to Fall Balsam - Summer to Fall Blue Vervain - Summer to Fall Boneset - Summer to Fall Buddleia - Summer to Fall Burdock - Summer to Fall

Related by Plant Type

Alfalfa - Wildflower Aster - Wildflower Balsam - Wildflower Bee Balm - Wildflower Bindweed - Wildflower Bird's-Foot Trefoil - Wildflower

Related by USDA Zone

Adam's Needle - Zone 4 - 10 Alder - Zone 2 - 7 Allium - Zone 3 - 9 Almond - Zone 4 - 8 Alsike Clover - Zone 3 - 8 American Basswood - Zone 3 - 8

Related by Bee Forage

Adam's Needle - Pollen and nectar Alfalfa - Pollen and nectar Allium - Pollen and nectar Almond - Pollen and nectar Alsike Clover - Pollen and nectar American Basswood - Pollen and nectar

Sources

USDA PLANTS Database
United States Department of Agriculture / reviewed 2026-07-12
scientific name, common name, distribution context, plant classification NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
North Carolina State University Extension / reviewed 2026-07-12
plant identification, flower description, landscape and growing context Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Plant Database
The University of Texas at Austin / reviewed 2026-07-12
native plant context, flowering context, pollinator plant notes Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Foundation contributors / reviewed 2026-07-12
plant image, image credit link
Black-eyed Susan flower with yellow rays and raised brown disk

Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz · CC BY-SA 4.0