Ratibida columnifera
Common Name(s):
Mexican Hat
Red-spiked Mexican hat
Synonym:
Lepachy columneris
Prairie coneflower
Flower:
Yellow
Blooms :
May
to:
Oct
The head has yellow drooping ray flowers and disc florets that are red/brown and protrudes 1/2-2" above the rays
Botanical Description
Fragrant?
NO
Family:
Asteraceae
Herbaceous Plant, Perennial
Foliage:
Green
Leaves 5-6" long, pinnately lobed
Fall Color?
YES
Foliage green, flowers yellow
Deciduous
Photo by:
Heading 6
Dark architectural cylindrical seed heads that resemble sombreros and offer a valuable food for birds
Oregon Native?
NO
West State Native?
NO
Origins:
Central North America- great plains
Site Selection
Minimum USDA Hardiness Zone:
4
Water Needs:
L
Sun Needs:
Full Sun
Deer Resistant?
FAKSE
Firewise?
YES
Height:
2-3'
Spread:
1-1.5'
Growth Rate:
Fast
Native Habitat:
Prairies, plains, savannas
Soil:
Well drained calcareous
Care Recommendations
Maintenance Level:
Low
Fertilizer:
No fertilizer required
Mulch:
Crushed gravel, small stones, organic material
Give full sun, water only during severe drought, do not fertilize, deadheading may encourage more blooms, leave seed heads intact for the birds
Long Term:
Winter:
Discontinue watering
Spring:
Cur dormant stems back 1-2" above ground, lightly fertilize with shallow layer of compost
Summer:
Deep infrequent watering, extremely well-drained soil
Fall:
Nothing except a little compost
General Care Comments:
Plant in full sun, adapts to clay, sandy, or rocky soils as long as they are well-drained, divide every 3-4 years in early spring
Common Problems
Overwatering, excessively rich soils, overcrowding
Diseases:
Root and crown rot from too much water, powdery mildew, downy mildew
Insects:
Japanese beetles, aphids, lygus bugs
Environmental Problems:
Overwatering, aggrssive spread
Pests:
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