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Yellow Coneflower

Ratibida pinnata

Description:

Picture of the dead heads. This native perennial is up to 4' tall while in flower. The long slender stems are slightly ridged. The basal leaves occur toward the bottom of these stems and are irregularly shaped – the larger leaves are pinnately divided into 3-7 lobes, sometimes subdividing further into 1-2 secondary lobes. The margins of these leaves are smooth, or sparsely dentate; they are individually up to 8" long and 5" across. The smaller leaves higher up on the stems are usually lanceolate; they are few in number. The texture of these leaves is rough as a result of tiny stiff hairs and bumps. The daisy-like composite flowers occur at the apex of the tall stems. Each composite flower has up to 13 drooping yellow ray florets spanning 1-2½" across, and an oblong head of disk florets that is about ½–¾" tall when mature. This head is initially light green or grey, but later becomes dark brown. The blooming period occurs from early to late summer, and lasts about 1-2 months. There is little or no floral scent – although the seedheads release an anise scent when they are crushed. The root system is rhizomatous, often forming tight clumps of plants. The dark achenes are without tufts of hair.

Habitat:

Yellow Coneflower is fairly common in Illinois, except in some SE counties Habitats include moist to slightly dry black soil prairies, clay prairies, thickets, woodland borders, limestone glades, and areas along railroads, particularly where remnant prairies occur. Yellow Coneflower tends to colonize the more disturbed areas of these habitats.

Notes:

"Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida Pinnata)." Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida Pinnata). N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. <http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prai...>

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1 Comment

mr.kamper321
mr.kamper321 10 years ago

Cool shot of the Dead Heads, just as good looking as the flower! They give good character to a fall garden landscape. Lots of little seeds in there!

urig717
Spotted by
urig717

Joliet, Illinois, USA

Spotted on Sep 15, 2013
Submitted on Sep 17, 2013

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