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Prairie Coneflower Wikimedia Commons
Asteraceae

Prairie Coneflower

Ratibida columnifera

Standing tall.

Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Ratibida
Native to
United States, Canada, Mexico
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
perennial
Height
1-3 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
well-drained, dry, poor to average
Water
low
Hardiness
3-10
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The elongated central cone can reach 2 inches tall, resembling a Mexican sombrero, which gives it the nickname 'Mexican hat.'
  • When crushed, the cone releases a sweet anise-like fragrance, and some people brew the dried flower heads into a tea.
  • It thrives in disturbed soils and is one of the first native plants to colonize roadside ditches and abandoned fields.
  • The drooping ray petals act as landing platforms for butterflies, who cling to them while feeding from the disc florets.
  • Cheyenne people used boiled leaves and stems to draw poison from rattlesnake bites.

Color meanings

0

resilience

1

strength

2

prairie spirit

Uses

  • prairie restoration
  • native plant gardens
  • erosion control
  • traditional medicine