Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Yellow Coneflower
(Gray-Headed Coneflower)
Ratibida pinnata [C-value 4]
Aster family (Asteraceae)
Blooms July -
September
The native Yellow Coneflower is common in our area. It prefers full sun and slightly moist loamy soil. Habitats include slightly moist black soil prairies, woodland borders and prairie remnants along railroads. This perennial is up to 4' tall with long slender slightly ridged stems. Its basal leaves (up to 8" long and 5" across) are sometimes pinnately divided into 3-7 lobes and sometimes subdivide further into 1-2 secondary lobes. The composite flowers occur at the apex of the tall stems. Each flower is 1-2½" across with up to 13 drooping yellow ray florets surrounding an oblong head of disk florets that is initially green-gray and later dark brown.
Yellow Coneflower at Blackberry Trail Forest Preserve July 12, 2013
Yellow Coneflower at Hoover Forest Preserve July 20, 2015
Yellow Coneflower foliage at Subat Forest Preserve July 1, 2013
Yellow Coneflower at Subat Forest Preserve July 1, 2013
Yellow Coneflower at Jay Woods Forest Preserve July 12, 2012
Yellow Coneflower at Jay Woods Forest Preserve July 12, 2012
Yellow Coneflower fall seedheads at Oswego-Montgomery Library October 26, 2014
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