Description
Ratibida – Mexican hat – Prairie Coneflower –
There are 5 or 6 biennials and perennials in this genus. They are found mainly on prairies in North America and Mexico. Woody based crowns produce erect stems, branching above the middle of the stem, that carry alternate, pinnate to pinnatifid leaves and solitary, terminal flower heads. They are grown for their daisy like flower heads, which have several long, yellow or yellow brown petal, and prominent, cone shaped or spherical centers. Grow in a sunny border, gravel garden, or wildflower meadow. The flowers are especially good for cutting.
Grow in dry, very well drained, neutral to slightly alkaline, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Ratibidas are drought resistant. Divide perennial in spring when young.
Prone to downy mildew, powdery mildew, leaf smut, and fungal spots.
R. columnifera – Lepachys columnifera – Rudbeckia columnifera – This erect perennial, sometimes grown as a biennial or annual is from Southwestern Canada, Western and Central USA to Mexico, grows 30″ tall and 12″ wide. It produces pinnate, hairy, grayish green leaves, up to 6″ long, the leaflets are usually linear, smooth edged, and generally pinnatifid. From early summer through early autumn, long, thin, branching stems bear daisy like flower heads, to 3″ across, with reflexed yellow petals, and large, columnar centers of green, then brown.
Zones 3-10
