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Black-eyed Susan proclaimed Iowa City’s official flower

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October 20th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa City officials have named the black-eyed Susan as the city’s official flower. The City Council on Tuesday passed a resolution adopting the flower with gold petals and a black center.

The plant is native to Iowa city and attracts a wide variety of insects, including butterflies and bees. Its seeds are a favorite of songbirds, such as goldfinches, sparrows and chickadees. The flower’s colors are also shared by the University of Iowa.

Project GREEN, a local nonprofit group that supports city beautification efforts, says adopting the black-eyed Susan may inspire residents to plant native food sources for local pollinators.