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Ratibida pinnata
From drought to flooding, heat to cold, extreme conditions won't faze it.
Ratibida blooms from midsummer into early autumn in many climates -- 2 months is typical -- and long after the petals drop, the seed-filled cones serve as landing pads for goldfinches and other small birds to sit and feast. When you finally clear them away at the end of autumn, they deliver one more gift: when crushed, the cones release a rich anise scent!
One of the particular beauties of this perennial is that unlike sturdier wildflowers such as Rudbeckia and Echinacea, Ratibida bobs in the wind, its long stems swaying and shimmying with every passing breeze. This adds much-needed motion to the garden, especially when the movement causes this plant's steady stream of pollinators -- bees, wasps, Checkerspot butterflies -- to take wing.
The blooms are held high above the foliage, which tends to be larger and lusher the closer it gets to the ground. The basal leaves can reach 8 inches long and 5 inches wide, and can be quite dense. When grown in rich soil, Ratibida abandons blooms in favor of more foliage, so keep the earth lean for best flowering!
Untroubled by pests and diseases, host to welcome pollinators, and lovely in its own right, Ratibida has earned pride of place in your garden. However, resist the temptation to put it front and center in the sunny border. It will do best along the fence, in a street planting, and beside the asphalt driveway. (In the wild it favors the dusty used-up soil beside railroad tracks.) Let it find its feet in your challenging garden spots this season, and it will return to give you years of pleasure! Zones 3-8.
| Genus | Ratibida |
| Species | pinnata |
| Bloom Season | Mid Summer - Early Fall |
| Habit | Upright |
| Zone | 3 - 8 |
| Plant Height | 3 ft - 5 ft |
| Plant Width | 18 in - 24 in |
| Item Form | 4-inch Pot |
| Additional Characteristics | Bird Lovers, Bloom First Year, Butterfly Lovers, Easy Care Plants, Long Bloomers, Native, Pest Fighter, Repeat Bloomer |
| Bloom Color | Yellow |
| Foliage Color | Medium Green |
| Light Requirements | Full Sun |
| Moisture Requirements | Dry, Moist, well-drained |
| Resistance | Drought Tolerant, Cold Hardy, Heat Tolerant, Humidity Tolerant, Pest Resistant, Disease Resistant |
| Soil Tolerance | Clay, Poor, Sandy |
| Uses | Border, Everlastings, Outdoor |
| Restrictions | PR, CAN, HI |
- Butterflies like a lot of sunlight, so locate your garden in a sunny area.
- If you live in a windy location, plant your butterfly-attracting plants near a building, fence, or hedge to protect them.
- Plant a variety of nectar-rich plants, as well as shrubs and evergreens for shelter.
- Since many butterflies and native flowering plants have co-evolved, try to put in some that are native to your area. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center provides lists of plants native to states and regions.
- Certain colors are particularly attracting to butterflies – red, yellow, pink, purple, or orange blooms that are clustered or flat-topped, with a short flower tubes are especially attractive to adult butterflies.
- Avoid using pesticides, especially around nectar-producing plants.
- Provide a shallow source of water – try a birdbath with pebbles lining the bowl.
- Place a rock in a sunny spot for butterfly basking and resting.
- Create a "puddling area" by digging a shallow hole filled with compost or manure where rainwater will collect and release essential salts and minerals.
- If you want butterflies to breed in your garden, put in some caterpillar food plants, such as parsley, milkweeds, asters, thistles, violets, clover, grasses, and Queen Anne’s Lace.
- Since butterflies need nectar throughout the entire adult phase of their lives, try to create a design that will allow for a continuous bloom – when one stops blooming, another starts.
