Grey-headed Prairie Coneflower

Ratibida pinnata

Pollinator Value

🐛 Larval Host: no specific ON/QC-verified species in sources
🐝 Specialist Bee Host: Andrena rudbeckiae (Ratibida spp.); Melissodes agilis, Melissodes trinodis (Asteraceae oligoleges on Ratibida)
S17 Fowler genus-level matches; S3 OWSL specialist bee list
❄️ Winter Food Source: Persistent seed heads provide winter forage. Seeds are consumed by granivorous birds; the erect, persistent fruiting structures remain standing through winter, offering accessible food resources above snow cover.
S11 Fruit/Seed Persistence=Yes; S4 birds attracted; S46 seeds persist

Proximity Score: 2
Native Status: ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: SW
CEC Eco-Regions: 8 – Eastern Temperate Forests, 8.1 – Mixed Wood Plains, 8.1.2 – Lake Erie Lowland
Rarity Notes: Ranked S3 (Vulnerable) in Ontario and N3 nationally in Canada, reflecting restricted distribution primarily in southwestern Ontario prairie remnants. Globally secure (G5). Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Ontario populations are concentrated in the Lake Erie Lowland ecoregion, where tallgrass prairie habitat loss is the primary threat.
S22 G5, N3 Canada, S3 ON; S26 SARA not listed
Rarity Ranks: ON S3 – Vulnerable
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: A tallgrass prairie and savanna specialist native to Ontario but at the northeastern edge of its range. Typical habitat includes dry to mesic prairies, open thickets, and woodland edges on well-drained loamy to sandy soils. In Ontario, populations are concentrated in the southwestern Lake Erie Lowland (S3 – Vulnerable), associated with remnant prairie and savanna communities. The species thrives in open, fire-maintained grasslands and is increasingly encountered along roadsides and field margins where prairie fragments persist.
S7 prairie/savanna remnants, dry open ground; S4 prairies, thickets, woodland edges; S22 S3 Ontario; S46 dry prairies and savannas

Roles: Fire Retardant, Fortress/Barrier, Insectary Plant, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = High (not definitional)] | Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: spines? (supporting signal only)] | Insectary Plant: S64 NPPBI 'beneficial insects' flag] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]

❌ Not Edible