Wildflower/Perennial
Mexican Hat
Ratibida columnifera · Asteraceae
Also called: Prairie Coneflower, Upright Prairie Coneflower, Long-headed Coneflower, Red-spike Mexican Hat, Thimbleflower
Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera) is a low-water wildflower/perennial well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It grows to 18-36 in H x 12-18 in W in full sun.
Mexican Hat at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (tolerates very light afternoon shade)
- Mature size
- 18-36 in H x 12-18 in W
- Growth rate
- Fast (often blooms the first year from seed)
- Bloom
- Yellow, orange-red, mahogany-brown, and bicolor; drooping rays below a tall central cone (disk), Spring through fall (roughly May-October), peaking with summer monsoon moisture in Tucson
- Cold hardiness
- Very cold hardy; tolerates roughly -20 to -30 F (USDA zones 4-9). Top dies back with hard frost and resprouts from the taproot.
- Soil
- Well-drained sandy, gravelly, loamy, or rocky soils; tolerates poor and alkaline soils. Sharp drainage is essential in the low desert to avoid rot.
- Native range
- Native across much of the western and central U.S. from southern British Columbia and Saskatchewan south to Texas, northern Mexico, and into northern Arizona; primarily a Great Plains and higher-elevation grassland species. Its native range touches Arizona but it does NOT occur naturally in the Sonoran/low desert around Tucson, where it is grown as a cultivated wildflower.
- Best used as
- Wildflower/perennial garden, Naturalized meadow plantings, Pollinator garden, Cut flowers, Erosion control on slopes, Roadside/revegetation seeding
- Wildlife
- Nectar source for native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators; seeds eaten by finches and other small birds. Generally avoided by deer and rabbits.
- Toxicity
- Not considered toxic to humans, pets, or livestock; no significant toxicity reported.
How to grow Mexican Hat in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought tolerant once established via a deep taproot. In Tucson, water deeply every 7-14 days in summer heat and reduce or stop in winter; overwatering shortens its life and causes flopping.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Needs little to no fertilizer; thrives in lean soil. An optional light feeding of balanced fertilizer or compost in spring is sufficient and excess nitrogen produces weak, floppy growth.
Pruning & care
Deadhead spent flowers to extend bloom and limit reseeding. Cut back to basal foliage after frost or in late winter to tidy the clump.
Notes
Short-lived perennial that self-sows readily to maintain a stand. Distinctive 'sombrero' flower shape (tall cone with drooping rays). Best used in Tucson as a cultivated accent wildflower or in higher-elevation/transition gardens rather than as a true Sonoran Desert native. Cut flowers are long-lasting.
Sources: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (wildflower.org); USDA Forest Service Fire Effects Information System (FEIS); Southwest Desert Flora; Santa Fe Botanical Garden; USDA NRCS PLANTS Database