Mexican Red Hat

Mexican Red Hat is so named because the flowers with their central brown disks protruding 1/2 to 2 inches above the red petals streaked with yellow resemble the colorful sombreros worn during fiestas.  Mexican Red Hat is also known as Prairie Coneflower; (however, on this website the plant that we call Prairie Coneflower is the variety with solid yellow flowers.  Both belong to the same species and share the same characteristics).  Besides its drought tolerance, Mexican Red Hat has many qualities to recommend it in a low-maintenance xeriscape garden:  it is deer resistant, easy to grow from seed, fast growing, tolerates a wide range of soil types, and withstands competition.  Mexican Red Hat usually blooms in its second year and attracts both bees and butterflies.