Ratibida

( RAT - ih - bid - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of perennial flowering plants, commonly known as Prairie Coneflower or Mexican Hat, includes species which need full sun and moderate water to perform well in the landscape. Prairie Coneflower blooms for a long season in summertime. They are wonderful in casual borders when planted amongst grasses and other perennials, and will attract pollinators like butterflies and birds into the landscape. Use Ratibidia in mixed beds and borders, in pollinator, native, or drought-tolerant landscapes, or simply as specimens.

Ratibida Species and Varietals

The genus Ratibida is a member of the plant family Asteraceae and includes seven distinct species. Ratibida grows well in all zones. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Ratibida columnifera (Mexican Hat, Upright Prairie Coneflower, Longhead Prairie Coneflower)
This species is native to the Great Plains region and reaches 2.5 feet tall and a foot wide. Flowers have drooping petals that are yellow or brownish purple. Cones are pronounced and brown. They get their common name from their likeness to a sombrero with a drooping brim. Variety Ratibida columnifera pulcherrima 'Red Midget' reaches 18 inches tall and wide.

Ratibida pinnata (Prairie Coneflower, Yellow Coneflower, Pinnate Prairie Coneflower, Gray-Head Coneflower, Yellow Coneflower)
This species of Ratibida is native to central North America and reaches 4 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide. The flower head has yellow petals and a rounded brown cone. These are hardy plants, and are commonly grown as garden ornamentals. A popular cultivar is 'Sunglow'.

Caring for Ratibida

Ratibidia, or Prairie Coneflowers, are classic members of pollinator, informal, and cottage gardens. They slowly form clumps, so they should be planted in an area of the landscape where this tendency will not become an issue over time. They are hardy perennials, and can be planted in either spring or fall, and grown from seed or purchased as nursery specimens. They are members of many flower and pollinator seed mixes. Choose a space in the garden that receives full sun; they need at least 6 to 8 hours of sun each day to flower and perform well. Ratibidia grown in too much shade tends to become leggy and will not flower as profusely. These plants prefer soil to be well-draining, fertile, and have a pH of between 6.0 and 7.0. After planting, apply a thick layer of mulch around the bed to suppress weed growth, maintain constant soil temperatures, and to maximize soil retention. As they are becoming established, water regularly. At maturity, these plants are considered very drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone for most of the year. In times of extended drought, irrigate every few weeks.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with a application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Late in the season, plants can have a tendency to get leggy, especially if they are grown in too much shade. They can be cut back to the ground in fall after the first hard frost of the year. This will help prevent ongoing disease and prepare the plant for new growth come springtime. As stated before, Ratibidia will form clumps of plants over time, and they will need to be divided once every three to four years. For instructions on dividing Ratibidia plants, see the Propagation section below.

Propagation

Ratibidia, or Prairie Coneflower, can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Prairie Coneflower, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Ratibidia by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-6 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Ratibidia by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the root(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your gloved fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.