Japanese name: コバレンギク（小馬簾菊） Scientific name:Ratibida columnifera
[Overview]
A perennial 30–90 cm tall.
In its native range it is common in the Great Plains, and also grows on wasteland and along railways and highways.
The whole plant is covered with coarse hairs.
The leaves are alternate, about 12 cm long, and finely and deeply pinnately cut.
A single flower head is borne at the tip of a long flower stalk; the disc florets form a cylinder up to 5 cm long and are dark brown, and there are 3–7 ray florets that hang downward.
The ray florets are yellow, purplish brown and other colors.
The fruit is an achene.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
It prefers sunny, well-drained soil.
It is easy to grow.
Take care not to overwater: for potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Fertilizer can be sparing; for potted plants, a small amount of slow-release fertilizer may be applied in spring or autumn, depending on how the plant looks.
The plant grows tall, so provide a stake.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
