How to properly plant and grow Mexican hat flower seeds

Description of ratibida

A perennial with several straight stems reaching a height of up to 120 cm. Strong taproots are able to penetrate deep into the soil in search of moisture, because in the wild the plant lives on roadside embankments, wastelands, and prairies, where conditions are sunny and arid.
The gray-green foliage is pubescent and divided into lobes. The leaf blades reach 3-12 cm in length. Bright flowers open on the tops of the stems by mid-July and show off until late autumn. The flower has a noticeably protruding core in the shape of a cone or cylinder 2-3 cm long. The core is framed by soft hanging round petals 1-3 cm long. The color of the petals is yellow, burgundy or mixed.

Ratibida description

Ratibida can be either a biennial or a perennial plant. The ground part is covered with small hairs. The stem is erect, branched, rough and leafy. It grows from thirty to one hundred and twenty centimeters in height. The plant has a taproot and branched root system. The leaves are grayish-green in color and grow from three to fifteen centimeters in length. The baskets resemble rudbeckia flowers: the cone-shaped middle consists of tubular flowers and radiant, reed-shaped flowers hang from them. Flowers can be yellow, red-brown, brown, red and yellow, or brown and purple. The flowers do not open immediately, but one by one, starting from the bottom and rising to the top. The fruit is a winged achene up to four millimeters in length.

You can grow ratibida using seedlings and non-seedlings. Plant the seeds of the plant in open ground, both in autumn and in early spring in frozen soil. In order to plant the seeds of a plant before winter, they do not need to be specially prepared; it is enough to simply distribute them evenly in the prepared furrow, sprinkle them with sand and insulate them with spruce branches.

Growing ratibida from seeds in spring requires mandatory stratification. To do this, you need to put the seeds in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator for thirty days. But it is best to give preference to the seedling method of cultivation. The most suitable time for planting seeds for seedlings is mid-February. It is very difficult for seedlings to emerge after transplantation, so it is better to plant the seeds immediately in special peat pots.

The soil should be light and moist; it is best to use a mixture of peat with coarse sand and turf soil. It is not advisable to deepen the seeds into the soil; just press them down a little. After planting, the pots are covered with plastic film to create a greenhouse effect, and germinated in a warm and bright place. If favorable conditions are created, the seeds will germinate in ten to fourteen days. After this, they need to be placed in a room with diffused light.

Proper care of ratibida columnarum

If you want a lot of butterflies to live in your flower bed, then the Mexican hat plant is what you need. The flowers of this culture emit a special aroma and components that are very loved by some of the most beautiful inhabitants of our planet.

Choosing a landing site. This is an important condition in growing ratibida columnar. In order for the bush to develop well and delight with its unusual flowers for a long time, it should be planted in areas with plenty of sun. You can use any soil for a flower. A loamy substrate with neutral acidity levels would be an excellent option.

It is not recommended to plant the plant near water bodies. Ratibida columnar does not tolerate excess moisture.

Irrigation. The bush does not need frequent watering. This procedure should be carried out only if the soil is very dry and after weeding. For this purpose, you need to use settled or rainwater.

Fertilizer. As for fertilizing, there is no special schedule for this crop. Thanks to its well-developed root system, the flower is perfectly capable of obtaining useful components for itself. Several applications of fertilizer per season are sufficient. Complex preparations are best suited. You should not get carried away with such mixtures, since their excess can cause rapid development of green mass and reduce the flowering period.

Seed collection should be done after the plants have flowered and dried well. To do this, you will need to cut off the boxes with a sharp knife and grind them into dust, thus freeing the grains from other parts.

In the fall, when the fruits are harvested, the stems will need to be cut. There is no need to cover the bushes for the winter; they tolerate low air temperatures well.

Features of ratibida columnar

This type of flower belongs to the group of large plants with expressive buds. The homeland of ratibida columnar, or, as it is also called “Mexican hat,” is the lands of Mexico and Canada. But despite its origin, it develops well in our latitudes.

In its homeland, the plant is also called:

thimble;
Echinacea narrowhead;
ratibida long or columnar.

The flower belongs to the group of herbaceous plants. In nature, it prefers drier areas. Ratibida columnar is a flower that grows in prairies and along highways. Often the plant “settles” near abandoned houses and covers areas that have not been cultivated for a long time.

The cultivation of ratibida columnarum began in 1811.

A distinctive feature of this culture is its elongated leaf blades. They can be either feathery or divided. The lower leaves are grayish in color. They grow up to 16 cm in length, and their width does not exceed 7 cm.

The plant grows in the form of a bush with many spreading branches. On average it reaches one meter in height. The stems of this variety are rough and lightly covered with small hairs.

On mature plants, an arrow forms on which a bud is formed. The diameter of a columnar ratibida flower can reach 7 cm. Often the loose buds have a burgundy tint, but there are also those that are colored brownish-yellow. At the end of flowering, fruits are formed in the form of seeds. Mature grains are light brown.

Caring for this species is very simple. To grow a flower in your flowerbed, you do not need to have any special skills. Compliance with a minimum number of rules will make the plant the most colorful crop in your area.

Growing ratibida from seeds

Ratibida seeds photo

Two methods are acceptable: cuttings or sowing seeds. Without renewal, ratibida lives for 4-5 years, but is able to reproduce independently thanks to abundant self-seeding.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

To grow seedlings, you need to sow the seeds in early February so that the plant has time to produce flowers the same year by the end of summer. You can buy seeds or collect them yourself. You need to wait until the cone boxes dry completely (they should turn dark brown), this will happen by the end of October, beginning of November.

Before sowing, cold stratify the seeds - keep them at a temperature of 5-7°C for about a month.
Sow in moist soil of neutral acidity, place the container with the crops on a lighted windowsill, maintain the temperature at 20-25°C.
You can cover it with film or glass to prevent moisture from evaporating.
In a couple of weeks the seeds will sprout.
When 2 true leaves appear, the plants can be picked and transplanted into separate containers. Then keep the seedlings in a cool place or greenhouse for 10-15 days, until it becomes warm outside.

Ratibida seedlings ready for planting photo

By mid-May you can plant it in open ground, keeping a distance of 20-25 cm between seedlings.

Sowing seeds in the ground

For warmer regions, it is possible to sow ratibida seeds directly into the ground. In the south you can plant as early as February, a little further north - in March. The ground needs to be carefully dug up and leveled. Make small grooves up to 2 cm deep, maintain a distance between rows of about 30 cm, sow the seeds and cover with soil. Dense shoots will need to be thinned out, leaving 10-15 cm between plants. Finally, they are seated at a distance of 30-35 cm.

Ratibida columnar Mexican hat growing from seeds

The Mexican hat can be propagated by both generative and vegetative methods.

In areas with cold springs, seeds are often sown as seedlings. The material is sown at the end of winter, but before that it needs to be stratified for 20-30 days at a temperature close to 5°C.

After this, the seeds are pressed onto slightly moist soil made from peat, turf soil and sand in a ratio of 1 to 1. We recommend sowing in separate cups, since young seedlings are quite delicate and may not withstand unnecessary diving.

The seed should be kept under glass in good light and a temperature above +20°C. Ventilate the crops from time to time and lightly moisten the soil when it dries out.

In 10-15 days, seedlings will begin to emerge, which, after the end of spring frosts, can be planted in the garden. The planting area is dug up in the fall with ash and compost (a glass and a bucket per square meter, respectively).

If necessary, change the reaction by adding lime and sand. It is advisable to make drainage, which can be lowered only if you are sure that water will not stagnate at the planting site.

A little about the discoverer

The first description of the flower was made by an American naturalist. This man's name is not easy to remember. His name was Constantin Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz. This scientist studied not only zoology and botany, but was a specialist in meteorology and anthropology. He was also a geologist and linguist. The scientist's life time was 1783-1840.

Rafinesque-Schmaltz was a genius of his era, but many considered the scientist crazy. While studying the vegetation of North America, he was able to describe at least 250 new species, but the scientist came up with very strange names for many of them. An example of this oddity is the ratibida plant, which has a simpler name - Mexican hat.

How to care for a ratibida

Ratibida sombrero growing from seeds photo

Alkaline or neutral soils are preferred; loams and clay soils with an admixture of lime are suitable. Ensure good drainage and avoid stagnant water. Choose a sunny place, only slight shade is possible. The plant tolerates both frost and drought well - water only in very dry, hot weather. In winter, there is no need to cover the roots, and the seeds can be sown even in frozen ground.

Watering is minimal, and fertilizing is not needed at all - the plant independently extracts the necessary substances from the depths of the earth. Excess fertilizer will cause the greenery to fade and flowering will decrease.

The plant ages after 4-5 years, its stems become lignified and lose their attractiveness, the bushes need to be rejuvenated by dividing and replanting.

Mexican hat: what the flower looks like with description and photo

The homeland of the plant is North America. In nature, the flower grows over large areas from Mexico to Canada. Ratibida can be annual or perennial. The shoots are erect, with a rough surface. There is usually only one stem, but sometimes there are several. The height of the bushes can be from 30 cm to 1.2 m. The root is taproot. The leaves are greenish-gray or bright green, depending on the variety, the plate itself is deeply divided, its length is from 3 to 15 cm.

The flower has a cone-shaped middle, which is formed by tubular flowers. It is 1 cm in diameter, and its height is 2-5 cm. Around the core there are elongated petals up to 3 cm long. They are yellow, crimson-red with a yellow stripe along the edge, yellow-orange, burgundy. The fruit is a winged achene, approximately 40 mm long.

There are 7 species of ratibida known in nature, but only 2 are especially popular:

columnar columnar rudbeckia (Rudbeckia columnifera) Ratibida pinnata or pinnate rudbeckia Rudbeckia pinnata)The flowers are large up to 8 cm, with a protruding, cone-shaped core. The color of the bush is gray-green, it itself is hard, slightly pubescent. The above-ground part reaches a height of 1 m. Depending on the variety, the color of the petals may differ. In the beautiful ratibida (var. pulcherrima) they are two-colored: crimson-red closer to the center, and yellow along the edge. The Cheyenne Yellow variety has yellow petals, while the Red Midnigh variety has purple-burgundy petals. The core of the flower is not cylindrical, but slightly flattened. It is surrounded by yellow narrow petals that have a slight anise smell. Plants reach a height of 1-1.2 m.

Ratibida columnifera

Ratibida pinnata

Both species are drought and frost resistant.

The advantages of the prairie flower include the following:

the plant reproduces easily, including by self-sowing, while the flower retains its varietal characteristics;
easy to maintain, you just need to periodically loosen the soil near it and remove weeds;
the flower is frost-resistant;
the plant is resistant to diseases and pests;
grows on almost any soil, including rocky soil;
When cut, the flower lasts up to a week in water.

One of the minuses can be noted that ratibida, reproducing by self-sowing, can grow throughout the entire area like a weed.

Main types and varieties

Columnar ratibida (Ratibida columnifera)

In addition to the elongated or columnar ratibida (Ratibida columnifera), which was described in detail above, another species is cultivated by gardeners.

Ratibida pinnata = Rudbeckia pinnata

This perennial is native to North America. The convex center of a dark bronze hue consists of tubular flowers, and around it there are reed flowers of a rich yellow color. During opening, the disc is greenish-gray, but gradually it becomes brownish-black. The bushes reach a height of 1.2–1.5 meters. The shoots are hairy and tough, and the pinnate leaf blades consist of 3–7 toothed, spear-shaped segments. This species is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and resistance to frost, drought, disease and harmful insects.

The elongated ratibida has quite popular varieties and varieties:

Pulcherrima - the color of the petals is wine-red, they have a yellow border;
Yellow Cheyenne - reed flowers of a rich yellow color;
Red Midnight - marginal flowers of a dark red hue.

Flower Ratibid Sombrero Zedek

Basic description of ratibida

This plant, unfortunately, is quite rarely found in our flower beds and flower beds. It’s a pity, because it is very original and unusual, and can decorate any garden plot.

In addition, ratibida is so undemanding and unpretentious that even a novice gardener can grow this bright flower.

This flower is popularly called the “Mexican hat.” And, indeed, it resembles a Mexican headdress. It belongs to the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family.

The name was given in the first half of the 19th century by the American naturalist C. S. Rafinesque - Schmaltz. He discovered this flower, described it and gave it such an unusual and exotic name. This is a perennial herbaceous plant.

North America is considered to be its homeland. And under natural conditions, ratibida grows over a vast territory - from the Mexican prairies to Canada. The places where it grows can be called wastelands and clearings, as well as thickets along roads.

The core of this flower is very elongated, and around it are elongated (up to 3 cm) petals. Their color can be yellow, bright red with a yellow rim, burgundy, yellow-orange.
The stems are often single in shape, less often branched, and rigid.
The height of the bush can reach more than one meter.
The leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, and grow sparsely on the stem. Their color varies slightly, depending on the variety: sometimes the leaves are bluish-green with a slight grayish coating, and sometimes they are bright dark green.

All the beauty of this plant lies precisely in the unusualness of the flower. Ratibida tolerates both scorching rays of the sun and drought, as well as frost. In nature it reproduces by self-sowing.

Beginning gardeners can grow this plant without fear, because it does not require any special care.

Description of the flower

The first mentions of this flower date back to the beginning of the 19th century. It was discovered by the American naturalist C. S. Rafinesque-Schmaltz during one of his scientific expeditions across the Great Plains. The scientist carefully studied the plant, described it and gave it a name.

What does ratibida look like?

For your information! The ratibida flower, due to its resemblance to the headdress of indigenous Mexicans, acquired the popular name “Mexican hat” or “sombrero”. This similarity is explained by the overly convex core and the bright border of burgundy or yellow petals.

The straight stems of the flower with sparse branches are covered with small lanceolate leaves, which, depending on the species, can be either silver-green or dark green.

Habitat

This spectacular plant's natural habitat ranges from the cool hills of Canada to the hot prairies of Mexico. This means that the Mexican hat can easily tolerate both arid and dry and cool climates.

Common types

Ratibida sombrero cannot boast of outstanding species diversity. Today, 7 species are known, of which two are the most popular: ratibida columnar Conflower and ratibida pinnata.

Ratibida columnarum Conflower is the most famous and widespread plant species, distinguished by large flowers. They can reach 8-10 cm in diameter. The stem is very hard, slightly pubescent, the leaves are sparse, gray-green. The stems of this flower can grow up to 1 m in length.

Ratibida columnar

Based on the wild ratibida species, breeders managed to develop subvarieties that were named beautiful ratibida (var. Pulcherrima), Yellow Cheyenne ratibida, and Red Midnight ratibida.

Cirrus (Ratibida pinnata) is distinguished by elongated petals and a modest size of the spherical core. The flower is very similar to rudbeckia and they are often confused. In addition, the stems of the pinnate ratibida are much longer than the columnar ratibida and can reach 1.5 m.

History of the national Mexican hat

The Indian tribes that have long inhabited the territory of modern Mexico did not weave wide-brimmed hats from straw or other improvised materials. As we know from films about Indians, they loved to decorate themselves with intricate headdresses made of feathers, ribbons and cords. The Indians tolerated the scorching sun well due to the characteristics of their skin and body as a whole. The Mayan peoples, for example, preferred to wear long hair, which they styled in various hairstyles. There was simply no need for them to hide such beauty under a big hat.

Where did the Mexicans get the sombrero hat? The word "sombrero" comes from the Spanish sombra, which means "shadow". Indeed, it was the Spanish settlers who brought their traditional hat to the American continent. Here they modernized it somewhat, expanding and rounding the margins. After all, the sun in local latitudes is much less gentle than in its native Spain.

Wide-brimmed hats were worn in Spain long before Columbus discovered America. The sombrero served as protection from the sun, as well as a stylish accessory in the clothes of wealthy gentlemen. Spanish sombreros had a flat crown and straight brim of medium width. They were made from expensive materials and brightly decorated.

Spanish craftsmen invented a straw headdress, which, thanks to cheap production, became available to the common people. This practical hat, the sombrero, became indispensable for peasants and shepherds who had to spend a lot of time outdoors.

The Mexican sombrero has a very wide brim, a high, pointed or flat crown and ties so that the hat does not fly off in the wind.

Tourists visiting Mexico may be a little surprised that not every Mexican wears a sombrero. Indeed, this is quite a rare occurrence. And the point here is not at all that the sun has become less scorching and dangerous to health. Quite the opposite. The reason, as always, is generally accepted fashion, as well as practicality.

Nowadays you mostly see tourists in a wide-brimmed hat on the beach or mariachi musicians in sombreros on stage. It has become much more convenient and practical for ordinary Mexican residents to wear various Panama hats made from natural materials. These Panama hats are easy to fold or wash and do not lose their shape.

But still, it cannot be said that the sombrero, as a headdress, has outlived its usefulness. Some famous couturiers were inspired by the original Mexican hat. Fashion designers included this unusual accessory in their collections, slightly modifying the sombrero. Fashion lovers can wear such wide-brimmed hats with trouser suits, summer sundresses and even demi-season coats.

Common varieties and types

Of the seven species known in botany, only 2 are the most popular. Let’s take a closer look at each one individually.

Ratibida columnar

It has a second name - columnar rudbeckia. This species is distinguished by its protruding and elongated core. The flowers are large, up to 8 cm in diameter. The stems and leaves are hard, slightly pubescent, gray-green in color. The height of the bush reaches a meter in height.

There are several varieties known that are most often found in flower beds:

Ratibida the Beautiful. It differs from the others in having two-color petals: the middle of the petal is crimson-red, and the edging is yellow. Contrast gives the variety effectiveness and originality.
Yellow Cheyenne. This variety is beautiful with its soft yellow petals, which attract with their interesting shape and clean bright shade.

Red midnight. The tone of the petals is absolutely magical - deep purple with a burgundy tint. It's simply impossible to pass by.

Ratibida pinnata

This view is somewhat different from the previous one. The core is not cylindrical, but wide and slightly flattened. And the petals are narrow, yellow in color and have a faint anise aroma. A bush of this species stretches up to 1 - 1.2 m.

Diseases and pests

This flower is very resistant to harmful insects, and it is also very rarely affected by various diseases. In some cases, during prolonged rains, the bushes may rot; in this case, it is recommended to dig up the affected plants, and treat the soil where they were grown with a solution of a fungicidal agent. Also, in some cases, a whitish coating forms on the surface of the aboveground part of such a plant, which indicates that it is affected by powdery mildew. Sick bushes are treated with a solution of soda or a fungicide containing sulfur, they are sold in a special store. If the bushes are very badly affected, then it is better to remove them from the soil and destroy them.

Diseases and pests

As a rule, the Mexican hat suffers little from disease and is rarely attacked by insects. From time to time, a flower can be affected by various kinds of garden spots and, which happens extremely rarely, powdery mildew. In this case, it is necessary to remove all areas infected with the disease and spray the plant with a fungicide.

If little attention was paid to drainage when preparing the ratibida planting site, the plant may suffer from rotting of the root system. Unfortunately, this process is irreversible. In this case, the bush should be removed, work should be done to improve drainage, and only then a new flower should be planted in this place.

Growing and propagating the prairie ratibida flower

Ratibida is very unpretentious in reproduction. The most common methods are: seed self-sowing, seeds directly into the ground, seedlings. Depending on climatic conditions, time and method of planting, the plant will bloom next year or the same year, but later.

Seeds

Growing ratibida columnar and pinnate from seeds in open ground begins with sowing in early spring, and in regions with a mild and warm climate even in February. Planting material can be purchased or obtained independently. Ripe yellowish-brown grains are collected from faded dried inflorescences with a dark brown cone. They ripen in late autumn.

The soil should be homogeneous, well loosened and without lumps. In order for ratibida to be grown from seeds effectively, it is sown in neutral or slightly alkaline soil. However, it grows well on any soil, as long as it is not too wet. It is not recommended to plant the plant near water bodies. It is necessary to sow in beds 2 cm deep at a distance of 30 cm. Watering is recommended only if the winter was not snowy.

Saplings

It is recommended to plant seedlings in cool regions. Sow in late autumn or early spring:

The seeds are distributed onto drained moist (but not wet) compost, sprinkled with a layer of substrate and placed in a lighted place.
It is important to maintain the temperature +20… +25 °C. In such conditions, seedlings will sprout within a few weeks.
Diving into pots is carried out after the second leaf appears on the sprout.
Then the seedlings are transferred to a greenhouse or greenhouse. She is hardened for two weeks, accustomed to an open climate and the sun. When it becomes strong enough to be transplanted into the soil, it is watered 2 hours before planting.
Carefully removing them from the pots, without disturbing the earthen ball, place them in pre-dug holes of the required size and sprinkle them with earth. The root collar should be deepened no more than 2 cm.

Dividing the bush

The method of dividing the bush is used quite infrequently and only for the columnar ratibida, since it has a deeply planted tap root system, while in the pinnate one it is also very delicate. It is used to rejuvenate bushes. A 4-5 year old bush is carefully dug up and divided with pruning shears or a knife, without knocking the soil off the roots. The planting level of the separated parts should coincide with the previous one. In order for the plant to take root and grow faster, it should be watered regularly.

Cuttings

Cuttings are also rarely used, since ratibida reproduces well by seeds. The procedure is carried out in May-June until the buds form. The cutting is cut at the root and stuck into a moist bud. It is sprinkled with sand on top and then covered with a jar. After 14-20 days, the cuttings develop their own roots. Seedlings are placed at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other.

Reproduction of ratibida

There are several ways to propagate this spectacular perennial. Growing ratibida columnar Mexican hat from seeds to seedlings is the easiest and most suitable method for temperate climates.

Propagation by seeds

Physostegia flower - outdoor care

About a month before planting, in February, the seed material is subjected to cold stratification. This will allow the seeds to germinate faster. In March, seeds are sown on the surface of moist soil. The box is placed in a well-lit place protected from drafts and covered with a garden cap. The optimal temperature for germination should be no lower than 20 °C. It is necessary to moisten the seedlings as the soil dries out and preferably from a spray bottle. Do not allow condensation to form under the hood.

Note! The first shoots, if everything is done correctly, should appear in 10 days.

About a month later, after the seedlings have become stronger, they must be transferred to a permanent place in open ground. Young plants are planted only in well-prepared soil. It is better if the place to place this flower is prepared in the fall. To do this, you need to dig up the ground well, adding a little ash, compost and river sand to it to increase breathability. In addition, it is necessary to take care of drainage or drainage.

Seedlings are planted at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other, trying not to damage the roots. During final rooting, young shoots should be covered at night to avoid freezing.

Propagation by seeds

Planting seeds in open ground

You can try to grow this flower by sowing the seeds directly into open ground. This method has its advantages: the fragile roots of the plant will not be at risk of damage during transplantation as in the first case. The most favorable time for sowing ratibida seeds is the beginning of April. Seeds are placed in furrows to a depth of no more than 2 cm in increments of 25-30 cm and sprinkled with medium-fraction sand.

Important! After the seeds are sown, the area should be insulated with covering material or spruce branches.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

Ratibida can be propagated by dividing the bush. This is all the more advisable if the perennial has been growing on the site for quite a long time. The fact is that every 2-3 years this flower requires rejuvenating transplants, so you can easily combine these two tasks. However, you should be careful when dividing the bush directly because of its fragile root system and, if possible, not expose the root, preserving the earthen lump.

Reproduction by cuttings

Cuttings are another, although not particularly popular, method of propagating ratibida. It is best to grow a flower from cuttings in May or early June, when there are no night frosts. The side shoots of the plant are ideal for obtaining planting material. They are planted directly into the soil, which is sprinkled with sand. The cuttings should be covered with a garden cover to create a greenhouse effect. After about two weeks, the cuttings will have formed their own root system, and there will no longer be a need for a cap.

Conditions for caring for ratibida

Ratibida is light-loving, not susceptible to disease, but cannot tolerate stagnant water, so it requires drainage. Being unpretentious to soil quality and resistant to lack of moisture, it needs special watering only during prolonged drought. It also tolerates long-term frosts well.

All types of ratibida are characterized by long flowering - from mid-summer to October. To obtain strong branched bushes and lush flowering, it is still recommended to cultivate ratibida on nutritious soils. It is not worth feeding it additionally with organic matter, otherwise the greenery will grow and the intensity of flowering will decrease. If it is necessary to apply fertilizers, it is recommended to choose mineral fertilizers.

Growing ratibida will allow you to effectively decorate your garden, while the plant itself will not cause much trouble. Once planted, you only need to control its spread throughout the area. This bright and long-blooming exotic, even without care, will delight you with lush bushes every year.

Description

Botanical name: Ratibida columnifera.
Other names: Mexican hat.
Synonyms: Lepachus columnifera, Rudbeckia columnifera.
Inflorescence color: yellow, red, burgundy.
Flowering period: from early summer to autumn.
Sun: Full sun.
Soil: light, dry, well drained. In their native places they grow in soil rich in limestone, but adapt very well to other soils.
Resistance to climatic conditions: the plant is drought-resistant and frost-resistant.
Height: 80-120 cm.

Looking at the distinct shape of the flowers, it is easy to see why the plant received the name "Mexican Hat". Yellow or burgundy flowers with long central cones look like a sombrero.

A distinctive feature is the black cone of the head, which protrudes above the drooping petals up to 3 cm long. Some varieties are very similar to rudbeckia and echinacea, only the core is longer and more convex.

Flowering continues from late spring until July, but if regularly watered, continues into August and September. The flowers are good for cutting and can last in a vase for about a week.

Planting and caring for ratibida in the garden

Features of care

Planting of grown and strengthened ratibida seedlings in open soil is carried out after the threat of returning spring frosts has passed. However, when there are 15 days left before transplantation, the seedlings need to start hardening off. To do this, they are transferred to fresh air every day (terrace, balcony or garden), the duration of this procedure must be increased gradually, starting with several hours, while for hardening you need to choose a place that will have reliable protection from drafts and precipitation.

An area suitable for growing such flowers should be well lit or slightly shaded. And the soil should allow water and air to pass through well, and it is best if it is loam or clay soil. Ratibida has good tolerance to slightly acidic, slightly alkaline or slightly saline soil. Before sowing, the area needs to be prepared; for this, it is dug up, during which 1 tbsp is added to the ground. wood ash and 10 liters of compost per 1 square meter.

To plant seedlings, it is recommended to choose a cloudy day or evening. A distance of at least 25 centimeters is maintained between planting holes. It is necessary to plant bushes together with an earthen clod, and if it grows in a peat cup, then planting is carried out together with it.

In the first year of growth, the bushes bloom extremely rarely; this can only happen in a very hot summer shortly before autumn. As a rule, many gardeners cultivate this flower as an annual, but it can be grown in open ground for 3 years. At the beginning of the spring, the bushes are removed from the soil, after which they are divided into parts. The cuttings are planted in separate holes in a new area. If the transplant is not carried out, then at the beginning of the growing season the shoots of the bushes will become woody.

How to water and fertilize

Growing ratibida in your garden plot is quite simple, and it reproduces well by self-sowing. In order to exclude the possibility of uncontrolled reproduction of such a crop, it is necessary to promptly tear off the inflorescences that have begun to fade.

Such flowers only need watering during a prolonged drought; for this they use water that has settled well and warmed up in the sun. If it rains systematically in the summer, then additional watering of the ratibide is not needed. When the bushes are watered or it rains, the surface of the soil in the area must be loosened, and at the same time all weeds should be removed.

Such a plant does not need feeding, especially if it is grown in nutritious soil; the fact is that it has a taproot that can extract nutrients from the deep layers of the soil. If the soil contains a lot of nutrients, this will cause active growth of green mass, which will have an extremely negative impact on flowering.

Diseases and pests

Rules for planting and care

Ratibida is a very hardy plant. She is able to adapt to almost any conditions. Although there are some recommendations. There is nothing complicated in care - periodically it is necessary to loosen the soil and remove weeds.

Choosing a landing site

Ratibida looks best in group plantings stylized as a meadow. Since the plant is very hardy, you need to choose neighbors that are the same, so as not to overwhelm it. It gets along well with pachysandra, dulsewort, rudbeckia, echinacea, chamomile, and clover.

It stands out beautifully when planted along paths. It is not often planted as a single bush due to the structure of the stems and sparse leaves.

Preference is given to loamy alkaline soils. It often grows on limestone and even rocky places.
It is better to choose a dry and well-drained area for planting. It is not advisable to plant in swampy or damp areas with high groundwater. Stagnation of water in the soil should also be avoided. The plant may die.
You need to choose a place that is well lit by the sun, or at least with diffused light or partial shade. Planting in dark, shady places with drafts and gusts of wind is not recommended.

Since flowering lasts almost the whole summer and early autumn, ratibida is often grown for cutting. In flower arrangements, it can remain fresh for about 7 days.

Planting with seeds (seedling method)

Since the plant is perennial, it can be propagated by cuttings, dividing the bush and seeds. If the climate is quite harsh and has cold and frosty winters, then the seeds can be planted in advance for seedlings.

At the end of winter, the seed material must be stratified. To do this, place it in a cold place for a month. Cold hardening will help the seeds germinate faster.
You can make your own mixture for planting. Mix turf soil, peat, sand and perlite into a homogeneous substance.
They moisten the soil a little and after that the seeds are not buried deep into the soil, but only sprinkled in a little, practically leaving them on the surface. Ratibida loves the sun.
The root system of the plant is quite fragile, so it is not recommended to sow seeds for seedlings in a large container. It is better to plant them immediately in separate pots or peat ones, which are simply then planted in open ground.
After sowing the seeds in the ground, then cover with film. It must be opened periodically to ventilate. The room temperature should be at least 20 - 25 degrees Celsius. The soil should be moistened as necessary. Do not allow the soil to dry out.
After 7 - 14 days, the germinated seedlings are transferred to open soil. The site needs to be prepared in the fall by first digging it up. Wood ash (200 g per 1 m2), compost (bucket per 1 m2), and dolomite flour are added to the soil. And also, if possible, a little lime and river sand won’t hurt either. This mixture will make the soil fertile, fertilized and capable of good air and moisture permeability.
If the place is damp, then a drainage layer in the form of broken bricks or gravel is made under the beds.
Then the seedlings with a clod of earth or in peat tablets are transferred to pre-dug holes, the distance between which is at least 30 cm.

At night, it is necessary to cover the young shoots for some time until they are strong enough. Flowering can be observed at the end of summer or as early as next year.

Planting seeds in open soil

This method is also possible. The advantage is that you do not have to disturb the root system, but immediately sow the plant in a permanent place. Planting is carried out either in the first ten days of April or at the end of autumn. In the southern regions, seeds can be planted at the end of winter.

The soil is also prepared. Seeds are planted in holes up to 2 cm deep and at a distance of about 30 cm from each other.
The seeds should be lightly sprinkled with river sand and covered with a small layer of spruce branches.
In spring, they are planted immediately in the ground after the snow melts. In this case, the seed material is simply distributed on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a layer of earth or sand.
Watering should be moderate. The main thing is to prevent the soil from drying out. Seedlings can be thinned out.

The first flowering will occur in early summer. Do not forget to periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds.

Cutting method

This method is used very rarely, because the seeds germinate well. For this procedure, a side shoot is cut off near the root and stuck into previously prepared soil. Cover the top. The shelter is removed when, after some time, the cuttings have their own root system.

The cuttings are deepened to a distance of no more than 3 cm. The soil is well moistened before planting.

The cutting method is carried out before the flowering process - at the end of spring or in the first half of June.

This procedure may not give positive results, because the root system of ratibida is fragile. If the root is damaged, the flower may die. But if you still decide to try, then this method is appropriate only once every few years.

The bush is divided either at the beginning of spring or at the end of autumn. Be extremely careful with the root system.

Watering and feeding ratibida

The plant should be watered as needed. This will be appropriate after loosening the soil. The main thing is to avoid drying out and excessive waterlogging of the soil.

Feed the ratibida no more than a few times a year. Be sure to fertilize after planting seedlings in open soil. And you can support the plant during the formation of buds. It is better to use mineral fertilizers.

Getting to know the plant

The ratibida plant belongs to the Asteraceae family. The genus of Compositae ratibidae is quite small. It contains only 7 plants that grow in North America. Man began to cultivate only 3 species:

ratibida columnar (Mexican hat);
ratibida pinnata;
Mexican ratibida.

The word “columnar” in the first name is not a completely correct translation from Latin. “Columnar” would be more correct.

Some classifications use the genus name Lepachys. The word has two Greek roots, which translated mean “scales” and “thick.” The name reflects some structural features of the flower wrapper. The fact is that the leaves of the wrapper have a thickened part on top, covered with resin glands.

Ratibida columnar, or Mexican hat, is a branched perennial. A spreading bush is formed from a large number of strong and ribbed stems, the height of which can be more than 1 meter. To the touch, the plant in any part of it is rough (glandular-hairy). The lower petiolar leaves of the bush are grayish-green in color, their length is 15-16 cm. The width of the leaves is about 6 cm. The structure of the leaves is pinnate or double pinnate. Each sheet can have up to 14 narrow segments.

Mexican hat, or ratibida columnar plant

Home comfort December 16, 2016

Bright flowers of peculiar shapes are found in garden plots and city flower beds. They look like a tall Mexican hat with colored brims. What kind of plants are these and where did they come from in our flower beds? This is a columnar ratibida, which came to our latitudes from North America.

A little about the discoverer

Getting to know the plant

The ratibida plant belongs to the Asteraceae family. The genus of Compositae ratibidae is quite small. It contains only 7 plants that grow in North America. Man began to cultivate only 3 species:

ratibida columnar (Mexican hat);
ratibida pinnata;
Mexican ratibida.

The word “columnar” in the first name is not a completely correct translation from Latin. “Columnar” would be more correct.

Ratibida columnar, or Mexican hat, is a branched perennial. A spreading bush is formed from a large number of strong and ribbed stems, the height of which can be more than 1 meter.

To the touch, the plant in any part of it is rough (glandular-hairy). The lower petiolar leaves of the bush are grayish-green in color, their length is 15-16 cm. The width of the leaves is about 6 cm. The structure of the leaves is pinnate or double pinnate.

Each sheet can have up to 14 narrow segments.

Flower structure

The ratibida flower rises above the foliage. This is a basket, the diameter of which is approximately 6 cm. Female reed flowers are adjacent to the lower part of the convex disk; their shape is obovate, and their length is 2.5-3 cm.

Reed flowers are arranged in one row. They are bent towards the stem. The color of different species is yellow, yellow-purple, and dark burgundy.

The columnar ratibida is characterized by a dark color - burgundy or brown with a bright yellow edging.

The disk of the flower is elongated, hemispherical. Initially it is yellowish-green, its length can be up to 5 cm, and its width more than 1 cm. There are about 400 small tubular bisexual flowers along the disk. During flowering, the disc becomes taller, takes on a cylindrical shape and changes color to yellow-brown.

The fruits of ratibida are small light brown achenes.

Similarities and differences with close relatives

The Mexican hat, that is, ratibida, is closest to two known genera - Echinacea and Rudbeckia. In general, ratibida pinnate is often confused with rudbeckia (photo above), since these flowers have petals in the form of yellow pointed tongues pointing downwards. The petals grow around a prominent black-brown center.

There are obvious differences between the species in the structure of the petals of the involucre, as well as in the elongated inner disk. Actually, the combination of an elongated disc and a lowered inflorescence made the ratibida so similar to a Mexican headdress. What is the name of the Mexican hat? Sombrero.

So don't be surprised if you see ratibida seeds with the name "Sombrero", this is not a mistake, just a different interpretation of the name.

Distribution of ratibida columnarum

This type of Mexican hat grows over vast areas. The bright flower can be found from Canada, and more specifically, the province of Ontario, to the southern borders of Mexico. The greatest concentration of plants is in the Great Plains region, since ratibida prefers prairie and grasslands. However, the plant can also thrive in mountainous areas - the bright flower is found up to an altitude of 2000 m.

Ratibida (Mexican hat): cultivation

Many housewives would like to decorate their flower beds with an unusual flower. They have a huge selection. Ratibida has been cultivated for several centuries, since about 1811. But for us this plant is still exotic.

Mexican hat is a very colorful name, and gardeners think that the plant will cause a lot of trouble. But that's not true.

Ratibida columnar is unpretentious; only the decorativeness and splendor of the bush will depend on the quality of care, but the plant itself will not die.

It is best to plant ratibida in flowerbeds on the sunny side. The place should warm up well. This plant does not like shading. It is advisable to plant the North American beauty in limed soils with an acidity of about 7.5.

The site for planting ratibida has been prepared since the fall. Loose dolomite flour mixed with sand is added to the soil. The plant is suitable for poor soils, the main thing is that they are not clayey.

However, fertilized soil guarantees lush flowering. The Mexican hat does not require special care. It tolerates low temperatures and drought well. Watering ratibida is carried out to prolong flowering.

Ratibida is resistant to garden pests and various diseases.

The only problem is the fight against self-seeding. Mexican hat grows well, and if there is a chance of crushing neighboring plants, excess self-seeding should be removed.

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Reproduction

This perennial can be propagated by cuttings or sowing seeds. It does not grow for so long, only 4-5 years. Fortunately, the plant produces abundant self-seeding, which promotes self-renewal.

When propagated by seeds, seedlings are sown in early February so that the ratibida has time to bloom by the end of the same summer. The seeds are collected at the end of October or November, when the cone boxes are completely dry and turn dark brown.

Before sowing, the seeds are kept for a month at cold temperatures (+5..+7°C), that is, cold stratification is carried out. Then they are sown in a moistened substrate with neutral acidity and placed on a lighted windowsill at an air temperature of +20-25°C. To prevent moisture from evaporating, cover the pots or box with film.

After 2 weeks, friendly shoots appear, which dive and are transplanted into separate containers with the appearance of two true leaves. Strengthened seedlings are transferred to a cool place or greenhouse for 10-15 days until the onset of stable heat. In mid-May, ratibida is planted in open ground, maintaining a distance of 20-25 cm between plants.

In warmer areas, ratibida can be sown directly in open ground. They do this early, in the south - at the end of February, and in the north - in March. The ground is first carefully dug up and leveled. At a distance of 30 cm, shallow grooves are made, 2 cm deep. As they germinate, the seedlings are thinned out in particularly dense places.

You can propagate a plant 2-3 years old by dividing the bush, but this process is difficult due to the taproot type of the root system.

Ratibida in landscape design

Since the flowering of this perennial lasts almost the entire summer until the autumn cold, it is ideal for creating mixborders. Ratibida will look great together with its relatives, rudbeckia or echinacea, as well as with some low-growing shrubs - wolfwort, pachysandra, bloodroot or microbiota. [!] When creating complex flower arrangements, remember that ratibida is a very strong and hardy plant that can crush its weak neighbors, but at the same time it can itself suffer from more aggressive perennials.

Ratibida seems to be created for areas decorated in a natural style. Because this plant is found primarily in sun-drenched plains in the wild, it is commonly used to create prairie or meadow gardens. In such a composition, the ratibide can be accompanied by cereals, clover, lupine, daisies, gaillardia or pyrethrum. Ratibida easily adapts to any soil, even rocky soil, which is why it is often used together with ground cover plants for landscaping rockeries. In single plantings, ratibida does not look so impressive, because its foliage is collected in basal rosettes, and the stems crowned with flowers stretch too high. Compositions using ratibida are often used to decorate hedges or unattractive country houses.

Growing from seeds

Ratibida is propagated by seeds and this is done both through seedlings and without seedlings. Sowing seeds in open soil can be done in late autumn or early spring, when the ground has not yet thawed completely. If sowing is carried out in the autumn, then the seed does not need pre-sowing preparation. Simply make not very deep furrows in the prepared area, and then distribute the seeds evenly in them; cover them with a layer of sand on top and cover them with spruce branches. When sowing in spring, seed material will require mandatory preliminary stratification by cold. To do this, it is placed for 4 weeks in a place where the air temperature is kept between 0–5 degrees.

However, the most popular among gardeners is the seedling method of propagating ratibida. Seeds are sown for seedlings in winter, or rather, in mid-February. For sowing, you should choose peat cups, because seedlings react extremely negatively to both picking and replanting. To fill the cups, use a moistened and light soil mixture, which includes coarse sand, turf soil and peat (1:1:1). There is no need to bury the seeds, they are simply pressed into the surface of the soil mixture, and the container is covered with glass (film) on top. Then the crops are transferred to a well-lit place where it is always warm. The first seedlings should appear in about half a month, after which the shelter is removed, and the plants are provided with a large amount of bright sunlight, which must be diffused.

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