Plant · GBIF taxon 3087173
upright prairie coneflower
Ratibida columniferaAlso known as Mexican Hat, Rocketflower, Longhead Prairie Coneflower
Upright prairie coneflower produces distinctive cone-shaped flower heads surrounded by drooping ray petals that range from bright yellow to deep mahogany red. Deep taproots allow this prairie native to withstand extreme drought and thrive in dry grasslands across North America. During midsummer, the raised central columns bloom from the base upward, providing nectar for native bees and butterflies before ripening into winter seed heads for birds.
PerennialPrairie NativeDrought-Tolerant
1 / 7—observations
—countries
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photosynthetic
Predators
- White-Tailed Deer
- Livestock
- Grasshoppers
ThreatsHabitat conversion and intense livestock grazing
HabitatsPrairies, plains, pastures, roadsides
Life span3 to 5 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAsteraceae
- SpeciesRatibida columnifera
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Identification: Look for the tall central cylinder rising well above dark red or yellow ray petals.
- Pollinator Spotting: Check flowers on bright sunny middays when native bees and butterflies visit.
- Seed Collection: Wait until the central column turns brown and dry to easily collect seed for planting.
Frequent Companion (c) Sandy Wolkenberg, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sandy Wolkenberg · cc-by
Frequent Companion no rights reserved, uploaded by Brady Reed · cc0
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