Last updated on February 2nd, 2023 at 03:39 pm
The Mexican Hat Plant (Ratibida columnifera). Sometimes called the prairie coneflower. An easy-to-care-for plant that does well throughout the southwest and the mid-west plains. The flower is a deep red and yellow color resembling a “Mexican Hat” or Sombrero. It is considered a herbaceous perennial.
Where to place the Mexican Hat Plant?
Plant it in a xeriscape garden or along fences or in open spaces. Underneath a tree that gives out filtered light is the perfect place. It will do better in the morning sun and afternoon shade during the hot Southwest sunlight. The plant will go dormant during the winter seasons. Water the area in early spring for a great burst of flowers from mid-spring all the way to late summer.
Size and height
It will grow to about 2 ft. tall and wide sometimes larger if planted in afternoon shade. The plant will grow almost anywhere, even in sandy or caliche hard soil but for good growth, year after year use good soil.
Growth Rate – A fast-growing plant that can easily be grown with other flowering plants in the garden. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds and are a deer-resistant plant.
How much water does it need? It will grow with very little watering and will explode with bloom after a good rainfall. The plant but considered a drought-tolerant plant however it will bloom and flourish throughout the hot summer months if watered using a sprinkler-type watering system.
What it does not like temperatures above 100° Fahrenheit? Of course, growing them in the hot mid-summer heat and they won’t do as well. So, plant them in the morning sun and afternoon shade and they will do much better.
It is a wildflower and most nurseries will carry them either the plant itself or in seed form.
USDA Hardiness zone 4-11
The Yellow Mexican Wildflower Hat plant is pictured below.
The Red Spike Mexican Hat, see the image below.
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