Mexican Hat, Prairie Coneflower
Ratibida columnifera (Nutt.) Woot. & Standl.
Family :Asteraceae
Longevity : Perennial
Origin :Native
Season :Warm
Prairie Coneflower can be found in almost all soils of the Edwards Plateau and the South Texas Plains. It is an upright perennial standing one to four feet tall. The leaves are two to four inches long and one to two inches wide. The four to ten ray flowers can be solid yellow, solid reddish-brown, or reddish-brown towards the center with yellow on the tips. The disk flowers are brown and are found on a green, elongated cone that is 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches tall. Prairie Coneflower blooms from April to July. The leaves are eaten by white-tailed deer and cattle, and the seeds are consumed by Rio Grande turkeys.
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