Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) [eh-kih-NAY-shah per-per-EE-ah]

Other Names ECHINACEA 'PURPUREA', zzzz, Echinacea purpurea (NGN), Echinacea purpurea-04 Pot
Family Asteraceae
Teaser Large daisy-like flowers with slightly drooping purple-pink petals surrounding large coppery orange cone on rigid stems.
Description

Purple Coneflower is an herbaceous perennial in the Asteraceae (daisy) family that is native to central and eastern USA. It may grow 3 to 4 feet tall and produce  5 inch pinkish-purple flowers that mature in early summer through mid-fall. Leave some of the flower heads on to produce seeds for the birds.

This perennial is native to prairies, meadows and open woods in the midwest & southeastern US.  Because it is easy to grow, with showy flowers, attracts butterflies, and is deer resistant, hundreds of cultivars  (many not purple) have been introduced for the home garden.  The scientific name comes from the spiny central disk which looks like a hedgehog (Echino).

This is a popular and long-blooming plant for use in the native garden, meadows, pollinator gardens and naturalized areas. 

 

Named Cultivars Echinacea purpurea 'Alba', Echinacea purpurea 'Amado', Echinacea purpurea 'Avalanche', Echinacea purpurea 'Baby Swan White', Echinacea purpurea 'Balsomsed' SOMBRERO SALSA RED, Echinacea purpurea 'Balsomselo' SOMBRERO SANDY YELLOW, Echinacea purpurea 'Bravado', Echinacea purpurea 'Butterfly Kisses', Echinacea purpurea 'Cleopatra', Echinacea purpurea 'Coconut Lime', Echinacea purpurea 'Cranberry Cupcake', Echinacea purpurea 'Cygnet White', Echinacea purpurea 'Deep Pink Showoff', Echinacea purpurea 'Doubledecker', Echinacea purpurea 'Elbrook' ELTON KNIGHT, Echinacea purpurea 'Fatal Attraction', Echinacea purpurea 'Finale White', Echinacea purpurea 'Fragrant Angel', Echinacea purpurea 'Green Eyes', Echinacea purpurea 'Green Twister', Echinacea purpurea 'Greenline', Echinacea purpurea 'Happy Star', Echinacea purpurea 'Hope', Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High', Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Mop Head', Echinacea purpurea 'Leuchtstern' BRIGHT STAR, Echinacea purpurea 'Lilliput', Echinacea purpurea 'Little Annie', Echinacea purpurea 'Little Giant', Echinacea purpurea 'Lucky Star', Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus Superior', Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus', Echinacea purpurea 'Mellow Yellow', Echinacea purpurea 'Meringue', Echinacea purpurea 'Merlot', Echinacea purpurea 'Milkshake', Echinacea purpurea 'Mistral', Echinacea purpurea 'Norwhinat' WHITE NATALIE, Echinacea purpurea 'Ovation', Echinacea purpurea 'Pas702917' POWWOW WILD BERRY, Echinacea purpurea 'Pica Bella', Echinacea purpurea 'Pink Double Delight', Echinacea purpurea 'Pink Poodle', Echinacea purpurea 'Playful Meadow Mama', Echinacea purpurea 'PowWow White', Echinacea purpurea 'Prairie Frost', Echinacea purpurea 'Prairie Giant', Echinacea purpurea 'Prairie Splendor Rose Compact', Echinacea purpurea 'Prairie Splendor', Echinacea purpurea 'Primadonna Deep Rose', Echinacea purpurea 'Primadonna White', Echinacea purpurea 'Purity', Echinacea purpurea 'Raspberry Truffle', Echinacea purpurea 'Razzmatazz', Echinacea purpurea 'Red Knee High', Echinacea purpurea 'Rubinstern' RUBY STAR, Echinacea purpurea 'Ruby Giant', Echinacea purpurea 'Showoff', Echinacea purpurea 'Sir Lancelot', Echinacea purpurea 'Sombrero Hot Coral', Echinacea purpurea 'Sparkler', Echinacea purpurea 'Springbrook's Crimson Star', Echinacea purpurea 'Starlight', Echinacea purpurea 'The King', Echinacea purpurea 'Vintage Wine', Echinacea purpurea 'Virgin', Echinacea purpurea 'White Lustre', Echinacea purpurea 'White Showoff', Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan'
Plant Data
I am a... Deciduous Perennial Upright
Mature Size 3 - 4 feet tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Dry to Moist. Drought tolerant once established.
Zones 3a - 8b
Tags Attract Pollinators, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Blooms for 4 Weeks or More, Butterfly Garden, Container, Cottage Garden, Cut Flower, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Eclectic Garden, Formal Garden, Good For Beginners, Good For Cut Flowers, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Moist Soil, Most Popular, Native to North America, Normal Soil, Perennial, Poor Soil, Popular For Fall, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Rain Garden, Showy Flowers, Thornless, Well-Drained Soil, Winter Interest Deer Resistant Perennials, Large Perennials, Partial Sun Perennials, Pink or Red Flowering Perennials, Summer Blooming Perennials, White Flowering Perennials
Bloom Period June to August
Flower Color Purplish Pink
Animals That Use It

Nectar:

Seeds:

 
Data Sheets
   In the Landscape Focused on the Plant Leaves Flowers Fruit Fall Leaf Winter Form
 
 

More Photos: Google Image Search & Flickr

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