What it is
Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera) is in the Asteraceae (Daisy) family. A quirky native with a tall central cone ringed by drooping petals - a sombrero on a stem. Tough and self-sowing.
How to grow it
It wants full sun, water it very low, and give it lean, well-drained soil. Target a soil pH around 6.5-8.0. Space plants about 12-18 in apart. Expect roughly Blooms summer. Native perennial.
How it's used
Mexican Hat is used: ornamental; pollinator.
🔎 How to identify it
- Finely divided leaves
- Wiry stems
- Cone-and-skirt red-yellow flowers
Not for eating
Grown for the garden, soil, or pollinators — not as food.
🌤 Before you plant: check the live 7-day garden weather to time it right for frost and heat.
Part of the free Texas Roots plant database, compiled by Jordan Polasek from his greenhouse in El Campo, Texas. Free to read and share. If it helped, the best thanks is to grow something.