About all you can do is water them well and take the dead material out. The roots should survive. Also ask your sister if she's experiencing the same - I suppose there could have been a soil-borne insect, virus, etc that came with them. Did you plant with any soil amendments? I've gotten contaminated stuff before.

Is it possible you've been overwatering since the transplant?

Tricia

Did you use any herbicides near them? Or weed and feed on the lawn nearby?

Don't know if this is any help or not, but here in the deep south where it is so extremely hot, rudbeckia leaves will turn a very dark purplish/brown color as the summer progresses. They aren't scorched or dying, I just think they develop extra pigment.

If you mean brown spots on the green leaves you may have a case of septoria leaf spot which Rudbeckia can get. Plants will look like roadkill but will bloom, it's the leaves that are bothered. Google it and see what you think, you'll also see how to deal with it.

Thanks for your responses. I did wonder if the discoloration of the leaves could be due to over watering. They were planted in a new evergreen berm. Since the trees, flowers are bushes are all new I've been watering them. However, as I water, I've been conscious not to over water things that don't require as much water.

I was able to talk to my sister over the weekend. She says Black Eyed Susans are susceptable to fungus and that's what it is. She says she told me that when she gave them to me....LOL. I don't remember that. So I don't know if that is true or if hers just have a fungus and so mine do. She says she sprays hers every spring with a fungicide and then they are okay through the summer. Any thoughts on that?

I didn't use Weed & Feed near there but I did paint some Round Up on the edges of the berm to kill the grass that was growing up through the mulch. I painted it, not sprayed it and the Black Eyed Susan patch is about 2.5 ft. from the edge of the berm.

Thanks, Jennie

Thanks, Justmetoo. I googled it and sure enough, that's it. And it is a fungus so my sister was right. I guess I'll do what she does and use a fungicide. Thanks again everyone.
Jennie