Mexican Hat plants - Ratibida

Ratibida, also known as the Mexican Hat or Sombrero, is a beautiful perennial plant that is a member of the Asteraceae family, native to Mexico and North America, just like the echinacea to which it bears some resemblance.

The genus comprises 7 species, among which Ratibida pinnata is particularly cultivated. It has yellow flowers that can reach a height of 1.50 m, while R. columnifera and its variety Pulcherrima are shorter (50 to 70 cm) and richly coloured with a brick-red hue. In this plant, fantasy is expressed through the intricately cut foliage, the shape, and the pattern that adorns the petals, although the colour palette is limited to mahogany, red, and yellow. Resembling a daisy with a prominent centre and velvety petals, this plant from the American prairies brings a natural and gently picturesque touch to flower beds.

Ratibida is a hardy, drought-tolerant, undemanding, highly floriferous, but short-lived plant. It has its rightful place in countryside settings, especially when paired with grasses, cosmos, or love-in-a-mist. Its cut flowers also hold up well in a vase.