Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Southern Africa
Types
Ratibida columnifera
Perennial
Number of Varieties
2550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-108-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
10-8
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Subulate
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Rhinitis
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Root
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
RATIBIDA columnifera
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Mexican Hat
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Mexican Hat
African Iris
In German
Mexican Hat
Afrikanische Iris
In French
Mexican Hat
African Iris
In Spanish
mexican Hat
Iris africano
In Greek
Mexican Hat
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
Mexican Hat
Iris africano
In Polish
Mexican Hat
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Mexicanus Hat
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Asparagales
Family
Asteraceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Ratibida
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
14300
1
27800
👆🏻