Many Gray-headed Coneflowers

July 23, 2026

The Gray-headed Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) showing off its natural tendency to grow tall and bend one way or the other, usually all in the same direction. A lovely brilliant yellow to cheer the world.

The flower heads are made up of as many as 15 ray florets growing to 2 1/4 inches long. At the center are 200 or even more disc florets that are yellow-green to dark purplish-brown. Those disk heads when crushed have a scent much like anise.

_______________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

One thought on “Many Gray-headed Coneflowers”

Comments are closed.