Yellow Coneflower / Ratibida pinnata
Yellow Coneflower has beautiful drooping flower petals that are initially narrow and spidery before they unfold and cones that turn from green to brown as they mature. It grows wonderfully even in dry soil and attracts many native bees, while also being deer resistant.
This is a well-behaved clumping plant and one that we are actively increasing in number in our own garden. It can be paired with other dry-tolerant species like Wild Bergamot.
Approximate Seeds Per Packet: 100
Germination: Cold(30)
Lifecycle: Perennial
Sunlight: Full, Part
Soil Moisture: Medium, Dry
Height: 5
Bloom Period: June-August
Bloom Color: Yellow
USDA Zones: 3-9
Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Birds
Larval Host For: Wavy-Lined Emerald Moth, Silvery Checkerspot Butterfly
Seed Planting/Germination Key
Storage: Store in a cool, dry, dark place prior to planting.
Rule of thumb for depth of planting: The maximum depth should generally be half the width of the seed, but many wildflower seeds will germinate well if sown on the surface.
Easy: Generally germinates within 5 to 30 days with no need for cold pretreatment. Keep potting mix or soil consistently moist during the germination period.
Cold(30): Germination rates are higher if cold pretreatment applied either by placing the seed within moist paper towel or sand within a refrigerator for 30 days or outside in late winter.
Cold(60): Germination rates are higher if cold pretreatment applied either by placing the seed within moist paper towel or sand within a refrigerator for 60 days or outside in mid-winter.
Cold(90); Outdoors: Germination rates are higher if cold pretreatment applied either by placing the seed within moist paper towel or sand within a refrigerator for 90 days or outside in late fall or early winter. The best route is to plant these outdoors in either a pot or directly on the soil.