Prairie Coneflower
Ratibida pinnata
Photo by Jen Neal
Summary
Prairie coneflower’s bright yellow flowers feature heavily drooping petals that flutter in the slightest breeze, grouped around a tall, domed center crown. Its blooms hold for a long period in summer, and it mixes well with tall grasses in a naturalized setting. Since individual plants are somewhat narrow, it’s at its best planted in masses. This tough native tolerates poor soil, dry and rocky sites.
More Details
FAMILY
Asteraceae (Aster)
BLOOM TIME
July-August
FLOWER
yellow
MATURE SIZE
3-5 feet
LIGHT REQUIREMENT
Full sun to part shade
SOIL CONDITIONS
Average
NATIVE STATUS
PA Native
Ecosystem Connections
Common visitors to prairie coneflower include butterflies and leafcutter, long-horned, mining, bumble and sweat bees, as well as the specialist mining bee Andrena rudbeckiae. It’s also highly rated for attracting wasps, syrphid flies, and minute pirate bugs, beneficial insects that help keep populations of problem pests in balance. The seed of prairie coneflower is enjoyed by several species of birds and small mammals, and it’s a desirable spring browse plant for big game animals.