Species › Plants › Grayhead Coneflower

Grayhead Coneflower

Ratibida pinnata

CommonPlant
Illustration of Grayhead Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

Grayhead Coneflower is a tall native prairie wildflower with drooping yellow ray petals and gray, thimble-shaped cone heads that emit a distinctive anise-like fragrance when crushed. It thrives in dry to mesic prairies and open woodlands across the Midwest and is a reliable late-season food source for goldfinches.

Habitat
Dry to mesic prairies and open woodlands of the central Midwest
Diet
Seeds eaten by goldfinches; nectar for native bees and butterflies
How common
Common

Best time to see a Grayhead Coneflower

The best time to see a Grayhead Coneflower is June–July, when about 67% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 19,195 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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