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Mexican Hat and Tritoma


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Perennial  
Perennial  

Origin
-  
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico  

Types
Kniphofia uvaria  
Ratibida columnifera  

Number of Varieties
70  
99+
25  
99+

Habitat
Damp Places, Marshy ground  
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops  

USDA Hardiness Zone
6-9  
3-10  

AHS Heat Zone
9-4  
10-1  

Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 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
Clump-Forming  
Upright/Erect  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
45.70 cm  
99+
30.00 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
50.80 cm  
99+
30.50 cm  
99+

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange, Pink  
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown  

Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor  
Bicolor  

Fruit Color
-  
Brown  

Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green  
Light Green, Gray Green  

Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green  
Light Green, Gray Green  

Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Gray Green, Light Yellow  
Light Green, Gray Green  

Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green  
Light Green  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Linear  
Subulate  

Thorns
No  
No  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer  
Summer  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun  
Full Sun  

Growth Rate
Medium  
Fast  

Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand  
Loam, Sand  

The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral  
Neutral  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
Well drained  

Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer  
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer  

Repeat Bloomer
No  
Yes  

Tolerances
Drought  
Drought  

Care

Where to Plant?
Container, Ground  
Ground  

How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings  
Seedlings  

Plant Maintenance
Medium  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Needs more water during establishment, Water Deeply, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases, Water in the early morning hours  
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases  

In Summer
Lots of watering  
Lots of watering  

In Spring
Moderate  
Moderate  

In Winter
Average Water  
Average Water  

Soil
  
  

Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral  
Neutral  

Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand  
Loam, Sand  

Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained  
Well drained  

Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun  
Full Sun  

Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves  
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  

Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K  

Pests and Diseases
Onion thrips, Red blotch, Root rot  
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch  

Plant Tolerance
Drought, Moisture  
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun  

Facts

Flowers
Yes  
Showy  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
No  
No  

Edible Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
No  
No  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
No  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
No  

Showy Foliage
No  
No  

Showy Bark
No  
No  

Foliage Texture
Coarse  
Fine  

Foliage Sheen
Matte  
Matte  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
No  
No  

Self-Sowing
No  
Yes  

Attracts
Snails  
Birds, Butterflies  

Allergy
-  
Rhinitis  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover  
Borders  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
No  
No  

Environmental Uses
Air purification  
Air purification  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
-  
Analgesic  

Part of Plant Used
-  
Flowers  

Other Uses
-  
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea  

Used As Indoor Plant
No  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall  
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
KNIPHOFIA 'Border Ballet'  
RATIBIDA columnifera  

Common Name
Tritoma, Wisley Blue Spring Starflower, Wisley Blue Springstar  
Mexican Hat  

In Hindi
Tritoma  
Mexican Hat  

In German
Tritoma  
Mexican Hat  

In French
Tritoma  
Mexican Hat  

In Spanish
tritoma  
mexican Hat  

In Greek
tritoma  
Mexican Hat  

In Portuguese
Tritoma  
Mexican Hat  

In Polish
Tritoma  
Mexican Hat  

In Latin
Trytoma  
Mexicanus Hat  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Tracheophyta  
Tracheophyta  

Class
Magnoliopsida  
Magnoliopsida  

Order
Asparagales  
Asterales  

Family
Liliaceae  
Asteraceae  

Genus
Kniphofia  
Ratibida  

Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots  

Tribe
-  
-  

Subfamily
-  
-  

Number of Species
72  
99+
14  

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