Ratibida columnifera, commonly called long-headed coneflower, prairie coneflower, or Mexican Hats plant, is an erect, hairy, clump-forming plant that typically grows 1-3 feet tall. It is found in regions from Alberta to Minnesota and south to Arkansas, New Mexico, and Mexico, with the Great Plains being its most common area of occurrence. This aster family member is mainly known for its elongated, cylindrical center disk of each flower and its deeply cut leaves.
The plant blooms in the summer, with each flower having an elongated narrow center disk and 3-7 drooping yellow rays at the base. The leaves are pinnately lobed. The ray flowers in the R. columnifera forma columnifera variety are yellow, while in the less common R. columnifera forma pulcherrima variety, the rays are brownish-purple. The dark brown cylindrical center disks resemble a slender sombrero's crown, hence the Mexican hat's alternate common name.
Long-headed coneflower thrives in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. It can tolerate drought, light shade, and somewhat poor soils but doesn't do well in moist, heavy clay. While it can be grown from seed, it won't flower until the second year.
