BLog

Flowers tell stories. They carry meaning. For centuries, they’ve been symbols of resistance, protection, healing, and celebration — especially within Black communities and traditions.

This Juneteenth, we’re celebrating three flowers with deep historical and spiritual significance. Whether you’re planting them in your garden, displaying them in your home, or simply learning their stories, these blooms honor the resilience, wisdom, and joy of Black culture.

1. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Significance: According to folklore, black-eyed Susans marked safe houses along the Underground Railroad, guiding enslaved people toward freedom. The bright yellow blooms became a symbol of refuge, resistance, and hope.

Black-eyed Susans are vibrant, cheerful native wildflowers that have long been woven into the fabric of American landscapes — and American resistance. Their brightness and resilience mirror the strength of those who sought freedom and those who sheltered them. At Sunnyside Gardens, we carry native perennial, ornamental perennial, and annual Rudbeckia varieties.

Growing Black-Eyed Susan

Best for: Full sun, native gardens, pollinator spaces, meadow-style plantings, containers
Where to plant: Sunny garden beds, borders, cut flower gardens, naturalized areas

2. Hibiscus

Significance: Hibiscus was brought to the Americas during the slave trade, carrying with it African roots and traditions. In African healing and spiritual practices, hibiscus has long been used for its medicinal properties and protective qualities. The flower represents resilience, beauty, and wellness — even in the face of displacement and trauma.

Hibiscus is a flower of transformation — rooted in African tradition, it bloomed in the Americas and became a symbol of survival and the continuation of cultural practices despite oppression. Today, hibiscus remains deeply connected to Black Caribbean and African diaspora traditions. In-store you will find annual and perennial varieties of beautiful Hibiscus plants.

Growing Hibiscus

Best for: Full sun, tropical containers, patios, houseplant spaces, warm-season gardens
Where to plant: Sunny gardens, containers moved indoors in winter, south-facing windows

3. Marigold

Significance: In African spiritual traditions, marigolds are deeply connected to the sun, ancestral protection, and celebration. The flower bridges the spiritual and physical worlds, honoring those who came before and protecting those alive today. Marigolds appear in celebrations, ceremonies, and spiritual practices across African and diaspora communities — a living symbol of connection to ancestors and culture.

Marigolds carry the warmth of the sun and the wisdom of ancestors. Their vibrant gold and orange blooms are as much about joy and celebration as they are about spiritual protection — a reminder that joy and memory go hand-in-hand. We carry multiple annual varieties of cheerful Marigolds.

Growing Marigolds

Best for: Full sun, containers, garden beds, easy-care annuals, pollinator spaces
Where to plant: Sunny garden beds, patio containers, borders, anywhere you want reliable color

More Than Just Pretty Flowers

These three flowers aren’t just beautiful — they’re keepers of history, symbols of resilience, and living connections to African and African diaspora traditions.

When you plant black-eyed Susans, you’re honoring the courage of those who sought freedom. When you grow hibiscus, you’re continuing a tradition of healing and spiritual practice that survived displacement. When you tend marigolds, you’re celebrating ancestors and the unbreakable connections between past and present.

Flowers tell stories. And these stories deserve to be remembered, honored, and planted.

Celebrate This Juneteenth

Juneteenth marks the day enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas finally learned they were free — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It’s a day of celebration, reflection, and commitment to freedom and justice for all.

Plant these flowers. Tend them. Watch them bloom. And let them remind you of the strength, resilience, and joy that runs through Black culture and community.