Yellow flower of Ratibida pinnata
    Yellow flower of Ratibida pinnata

    Gray-headed coneflower


    Ratibida pinnata

    If the Goldfinches could vote for their favorite native plant, hands down, Gray-headed coneflower would win! They feast on their ripe seeds during fall and winter. By the end of winter, nearly all of the seeds have been devoured. I enjoy watching Goldfinches, so I am a big fan of this wildflower. But here's the thing, when this plant is happy, it spreads outside of its 'boundary'. So, plant it for its lemony yellow flowers, the birds and the many pollinators that adore it. But...be prepared as you may need to spend some time containing it.


    1. NAME
    2. BLOOM
    3. POLLINATORS
    4. DESCRIPTION
    5. PLANTS GROWING NEARBY
    6. HABITAT
    7. CONSERVATION STATUS
    8. INTERESTING TIDBITS
    1. NAME
    2. BLOOM
    3. POLLINATORS
    4. DESCRIPTION
    5. PLANTS GROWING NEARBY
    6. HABITAT
    7. CONSERVATION STATUS
    8. INTERESTING TIDBITS

    PLANT NAME

    Stearn’s dictionary describes the word 'ratibida' as meaning 'obscure'. Pinnata means feather-like or pinnately cut leaves. Of course there are multiple common names for this plant. I prefer to use Gray-headed coneflower. This refers to the gray hue of both the unopened buds and the mature seed heads. Other common names include Pinnate prairie coneflower and Yellow coneflower.


    1. NAME
    2. BLOOM
    3. POLLINATORS
    4. DESCRIPTION
    5. PLANTS GROWING NEARBY
    6. HABITAT
    7. CONSERVATION STATUS
    8. INTERESTING TIDBITS

    BLOOM

    The flower petals of Gray-headed coneflower are bright lemony yellow. They are especially beautiful when combined with blue and purple flowers such as Ironweeds, Salvia, and Liatris. The flowers are held above the leaves on long stalks with each flower head consisting of both ray and disk flowers. The yellow ray flowers may number as many as 10 to 16. These are what we usually think of as the 'flower petals'. These flowers are sterile. The fertile flowers on the cone open from bottom to top, turning the head from 'gray' to 'brown' when all have opened. Individual flower heads don't have much aroma, but if you walk by a colony of plants in peak flowering, you will notice a lovely anise-like scent. The aroma becomes much more powerful when the seed heads mature. This makes collecting seed from this plant a very pleasurable task.

  • Yellow ray and brown disk flowers
    Yellow ray and brown disk flowers
  • Disc flowers in varying stages
    Disc flowers in Different stages

    1. NAME
    2. BLOOM
    3. POLLINATORS
    4. DESCRIPTION
    5. PLANTS GROWING NEARBY
    6. HABITAT
    7. CONSERVATION STATUS
    8. INTERESTING TIDBITS

    DESCRIPTION

    The basal rosette of Gray-headed coneflower gives rise to fuzzy, hirsute stems in the spring. The stem may be single or several, growing to a height between 3-5 feet. The stem is often ridged and with branches. The leaves are sessile, alternate and pinnately divided into 3 to 7 lobes. They are rough to touch and feel stiff. The leaves of the basal rosette persist through the winter. In late fall, they turn beautiful shades of yellow-gold, green, brown and burgundy.

  • Ridged, fuzzy stem
    Ridged, fuzzy stem
  • Multi-lobed leaf
    Multi-lobed leaf
  • Buds and early flowers
    Buds and early flowers
  • Basal rosette in winter
    Basal rosette in winter
  • The seed heads release a wonderful anise scent when handled. Initially, they are hard, but with maturity (and especially after a rain), they soften and will crumble into your hand in a satisfying way when squeezed.

  • Unripe seed head
    Unripe seed head
  • Ripe seed heads
    Ripe seed heads

    1. NAME
    2. BLOOM
    3. POLLINATORS
    4. DESCRIPTION
    5. PLANTS GROWING NEARBY
    6. HABITAT
    7. CONSERVATION STATUS
    8. INTERESTING TIDBITS

    POLLINATORS

    Bees are the primary pollinators of Gray-headed coneflower. Leafcutter bees, Bumble bees, Long-horned bees and Sweat bees are often seen working the flowers.

  • Leaf-cutter bee
    Leaf-cutter bee
  • Brown-belted Bumble Bee
    Brown-belted Bumble Bee
  • Striped Sweat bee
    Striped Sweat bee
  • Longhorn Bee
    Longhorn Bee
  • Butterflies, Skippers, Wasps, Syrphid flies, and other interesting insects also visit the flowers for nectar and may aid in pollination.

  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
    Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
  • Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth
    Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth
  • Sachem Skipper
    Sachem Skipper
  • Thread-waisted Wasp
    Thread-waisted Wasp

    1. NAME
    2. BLOOM
    3. POLLINATORS
    4. DESCRIPTION
    5. PLANTS GROWING NEARBY
    6. HABITAT
    7. CONSERVATION STATUS
    8. INTERESTING TIDBITS

    PLANTS GROWING NEARBY

    • Matelea decipiens
      Matelea decipiens
    • Asclepias tuberosa
      Asclepias tuberosa
    • Passiflora incarnata
      Passiflora incarnata
    • Eryngium yuccifolium
      Eryngium yuccifolium
    • Vernonia baldwinii
      Vernonia baldwinii
    • Erigeron Annuus
      Erigeron Annuus
    • Helianthus mollis
      Helianthus mollis
    • Liatris pycnostachya
      Liatris pycnostachya
    • Salvia azurea
      Salvia azurea
    • Hypericum punctatum
      Hypericum punctatum
    • Silphium terebinthinaceum
      Silphium terebinthinaceum
    • Palafoxia callosa
      Palafoxia callosa

    Many wildflowers are companion plants to Ratibida pinnata. See examples of a few of them growing together below.

  • With Matelea decipiens
    With Matelea decipiens
  • with Vernonia baldwinii and Salvia azurea
    with Vernonia baldwinii and Salvia azurea
  • with Rattlesnake master
    with Rattlesnake master
  • with Asclepias tuberosa
    with Asclepias tuberosa

    1. NAME
    2. BLOOM
    3. POLLINATORS
    4. DESCRIPTION
    5. PLANTS GROWING NEARBY
    6. HABITAT
    7. CONSERVATION STATUS
    8. INTERESTING TIDBITS

    HABITAT

    Gray-headed coneflower is somewhat of a generalist when it comes to habitat. It's found in glades, prairies, savannahs and open woods. It's drought and heat tolerant, flowering well in full sun to part shade. When it finds a suitable habitat it readily spreads, creating a beautiful mass of yellow!

    Huge mass of Gray-headed coneflowers
    Huge mass of Gray-headed coneflowers
  • Woodland edge with Vernonia baldwinii
    Woodland edge with Vernonia baldwinii
  • Grassland with Liatris pycnostachya
    Grassland with Liatris pycnostachya
  • Grassland with Sorghastrum nutans
    Grassland with Sorghastrum nutans
  • Glade habitat
    Glade habitat

    1. NAME
    2. BLOOM
    3. POLLINATORS
    4. DESCRIPTION
    5. PLANTS GROWING NEARBY
    6. HABITAT
    7. CONSERVATION STATUS
    8. INTERESTING TIDBITS

    CONSERVATION STATUS
    Secure

    Gray-headed coneflower is native to the Midwest and Eastern states. While its overall status is Secure, it is listed as Critically Imperiled in 2 states- Pennsylvania and South Carolina. It has Imperiled status in Louisiana and Florida and Vulnerable status in Georgia. Its listed as Apparently Secure in Kentucky and Indiana. All other states within its range show No Status Rank on Natureserve.


    1. NAME
    2. BLOOM
    3. POLLINATORS
    4. DESCRIPTION
    5. PLANTS GROWING NEARBY
    6. HABITAT
    7. CONSERVATION STATUS
    8. INTERESTING TIDBITS

    INTERESTING TIDBITS

    It’s no secret that growing native plants provides important habitat for insects, songbirds and even mammals. Gray headed coneflower is no exception. It provides food for caterpillars of the beautiful Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) butterfly and many moths. It’s especially important to bees for both collecting and feeding on pollen.

  • Goldfinch eating seeds of Ratibida pinnata
    Goldfinch eating seeds of Ratibida pinnata
  • Goldfinch contortions to reach ripe seeds
    Goldfinch contortions to reach ripe seeds
  • Goldfinches and other songbirds eat the seeds. I suggest planting Gray-headed coneflowers where you can observe them from a window during fall and winter. Goldfinches absolutely love the seeds and are a joy to watch as they bounce from one branch to another.


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