Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera)
Description: A plant branched and leafy in the lower part with long leafless stalks bearing flower heads of 3-7 yellow or yellow and red-brown, drooping rays surrounding a long, red-brown central disk. Its sombrero-shaped flower head is usually 1 1/2 ft. tall but can reach 3 ft. Flower petals range from dark red and yellow, to all red or all yellow. The flower’s central brown disk protrudes 1/2 to 2 in. above the drooping petals. Leaves on the lower portion of the stem are feathery and deeply cleft. The colorful flower heads, resembling the traditional broad-brimmed, high-centered hat worn during Mexican fiestas, often bloom by the thousands. Green Prairie Coneflower (R. tagetes) has a spherical or oblong central disk and leaves closer to the flower head.
Family: Asteraceae
Synonym(s): Lepachys columnaris, Lepachys columnifera, Ratibida columnaris, Ratibida columnaris var. pulcherrima, Rudbeckia columnaris, Rudbeckia columnifera
USDA Symbol: RACO3
Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Class: 1-3 ft.
Bloom Color: Yellow, Brown, Orange
Bloom Time: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Water Use: Medium
Light Requirements: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
Bloom Notes: Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Various well-drained, usually calcareous soils. Also Limestone-based, Caliche type, Clay, Clay Loam, Medium Loam, Sandy Loam, Sandy.
Conditions Comments: This is a drought-tolerant plant that withstands competition. Plants with rich, brown-purple ray flowers form pulcherima. Mexican Hat is a fast-growing wildflower that is not fussy about soils and is easy to grow from seed. Showy flowers bloom over a long season. The foliage has a strong odor that repels deer. CAUTION: it grows aggressively and may push out other weaker species.
Use Medicinal: Tea from leaves and stalks is used for stomach aches and pain inside. Tea from flowers is used for headaches. Boiled leaves and stems are used as a wash for snakebite and poison ivy.
ATTRIBUTION: All of the Texas Wildflower images in this post are copyrighted and are the exclusive property of Terry B. Kahler. Reproduction without explicit written consent is prohibited. Some of the information contained in this section was taken from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website and is being used under their terms of use. Redistribution from this site is prohibited. Additional information contained in this section was taken from the USDA website including the USDA code.
