Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Grass
Origin
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Middle Africa
Types
Ratibida columnifera
Perennial Grass
Number of Varieties
2515
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-107-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
12 - 1
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
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
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Subulate
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun
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, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
Rhinitis
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Food for animals, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
RATIBIDA columnifera
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
Common Name
Mexican Hat
Elephant Grass
In Hindi
Mexican Hat
हाथी घास
In German
Mexican Hat
Elefantengras
In French
Mexican Hat
l'herbe à éléphant
In Spanish
mexican Hat
pasto elefante
In Greek
Mexican Hat
ελέφαντα χόρτο
In Portuguese
Mexican Hat
capim-elefante
In Polish
Mexican Hat
trawa słoniowa
In Latin
Mexicanus Hat
elephanti herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Asterales
Poales
Family
Asteraceae
Poaceae
Genus
Ratibida
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Paniceae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
141
1
27800
👆🏻