Who doesn’t love a pretty Black-Eyed Susan? They are just such gorgeous summer wildflowers. Sure, they’re hard to pick, but why pick them when you can leave them in the yard as a beautiful accent all summer long?

(And actually, picking them helped my daughter develop some muscle strength while she was in physical therapy as a toddler!)

Like many areas across the United States, Denver is home to these lovely yellow flowers. Bright yellow with dark purple, almost black centers, the flowers can grow up to three feet and are covered with coarse, short hair. They bloom from June to August and come in four different varieties.

Think they sound familiar, but not sure? Black-Eyed Susans are also known as Poorland Daisies, Yellow Ox-Eye Daisies, Blackiheads, Brown Daisies, Brown-Eyed Susans, Gloriosa Daisies, Brown Betties, and Golden Jerusalems. The flowering perennial plants are members of the Asteraceae family and can be found all across North America—from wildflower gardens to roadsides and everywhere in between.

Black-Eyed Susans have a long history of being used as an herbal remedy in homeopathic medicine. Many practitioners have used it in place of Echinacea purpurea to promote health and healing. In astringent form, Black-Eyed Susan infusions can be used as a wash for treating different ailments, such as sore or achy body areas, cuts, or swelling. It has been used for treating worms, snake bites, colds, and many other complaints as well. The Menominee and Potawatomi peoples used it as a diuretic, while people with earaches have used the roots in juice elixirs for ear drops. Black-Eyed Susan seeds, however, are poisonous to humans and should never be ingested.

Brown Daisies are a favorite wildflower for many people—not only because they are beautiful, but also because they are very easy to care for. In fact, once they propagate, they are pretty much fine left on their own in most areas—and return year after year for more summer enjoyment. They do thrive in soil that is well-drained as well as in full sunlight in particular. The flowers tolerate drought very well, and can survive most summer heat waves as such.

For an increased population of pretty Black-Eyed Susans, gardeners can divide their plants’ roots every year to create more plants in the fall. Gardeners who plants these lovely flowers can also expect plenty of wildlife to come calling—especially bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.