Upright Prairie Coneflower
Ratibida columnifera
Family: Asteraceae
Herbaceous perennial that reseeds readily in the landscape. Goes deciduous in cold weather, though in warm microclimates it may be evergreen. There are many varieties with yellow to brown flowers (we normally carry the brown flowered variety), and they bloom most of the warm season, and may even have a few flowers in the winter if the weather is warm.
Full to part sun, moderate water, hardy to -30°F.
Nectar rich flowers loved by bees, butterflies, and other nectar feeders. Granivorous birds consume the seeds.
The Zuni people use an infusion of the whole plant as an emetic.
Photo by cjmcmil on iNaturalist
Ratibida columnifera on SEINET
There are 7 species of Ratibida native to North America. The derivation of the genus name Ratibida is unknown; columnifera refers to the tall cylindrical flower heads.
Found in pinyon-juniper and ponderosa pine woodlands, prairies, grasslands, and disturbed areas, from 4,000-7,500 ft. from southern Canada, south primarily through the Great Plains, through the southwestern United States, into northern Mexico.
Sometimes the flowers are solid yellow, photo by Te Chang, iNaturalist
These flowers are almost solid brown, photo by rollingplainst, iNaturalist