The Black-eyed Susan is a short-lived perennial that can grow to between 2-4 feet tall. It blooms in the summer and grows in open woods, gardens, fields, and roadsides. These flowers grow very quickly in almost any type of soil and they are very competitive so they often push native species out. A Black-eyed Susan is biennial, meaning in it lives for 2 years. These flowers are considered a pioneer plant because they are the first to populate an area. If a forest fire burned down an area in the woods, one of the first plants to grow there would be a Black-eyed Susan.