Upright prairie coneflower (Plants of the Middle Rio Grande Bosque)

Upright prairie coneflower

Ratibida columnifera

Summary ⁸

Ratibida columnifera, commonly known as upright prairie coneflower or Mexican hat, is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found in North America and grows in prairies, plains, roadsides, and disturbed areas.

Botanical Information ⁹

Ratibida columnifera, commonly known as the upright prairie coneflower, is an herbaceous perennial which means that the flower and stem die annually and the roots stay all year. The stalk of the flower can grow up to three feet tall. The petals are usually red but can sometimes be yellow and the cone of the flower is a reddish brown. They bloom in the early summer and last until fall. After being planted, they grow a stem but it typically will not flower until the second year.

Ecological Information ⁸

The upright prairie coneflower is commonly found in meadows, prairies, and roadsides throughout North America. It can grow in most types of soil including sand, sandy loam, clay, clay loam, caliche, limestone-based and various well-drained, calcareous soils. Prairie coneflower is drought tolerant and fast growing from seed. It can withstand competition as long as there is enough sun. It's showy flowers bloom throughout the summer and provide nectar for bees, butterflies and other insects as well as seed for various birds and deer.

Ethnobotanical Information ⁸

Prairie coneflower has been used for various medicinal purposes. The non-poisonous leaves have been made into a tea that is used to treat stomach aches and side pains. Specifically, the Lakota people would make an infusion of the plant tops and drink to soothe stomach aches. The boiled leaves and stems have been used as a wash for poison ivy. There is documentation of the Cheyenne using this wash externally for snake bites. The Navajo people have been reported to make a cold infusion of the plant to bring down a fever. (Note: Ethnographic reports often lack important contextual information and relevant traditional ecological knowledge.)

References ¹⁰

Missouri Botanical Garden. ( 2021, 09 08). Ratibida columnifera. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b281

The University of Texas at Austin, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. (2018, 12 08). Plant Database, Ratibida columnifera. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=raco3

Native American Ethnobotany Database. (2021, 09 08). Ratibida columnifera. http://naeb.brit.org/uses/species/3322/

About the Author ¹¹

Student author(s)*: Nathan from Menaul High School

*The entries in this field guide have been edited by Yerba Mansa Project staff to ensure that they contain quality, fact-checked content and standardized formatting. https://yerbamansaproject.org/

Sources and Credits

(c) troney, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by troney
(c) CameliaTWU, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/cameliatwu/8965786365/
(c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/533661226/
(c) photogramma1, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/photogramma1/3630408493/
(c) Michael Levine-Clark, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/39877441@N05/48561059986/
(c) Bear Paw Battlefield, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/bearpaw/6140909680/
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/plant_diversity/4018713852/
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) Nathan, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by Hannah from a work by (c) caseynm, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) caseynm, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

Range Map

iNat Map

Color	brown, red, yellow
Type	herb
Uses	medicinal

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