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Echinacea purpurea (Linnaeus) Moench. Common name: Eastern Purple Coneflower. Phenology: May-Oct. Habitat: Open woodlands, roadsides, some of the occurrences persistent or spread from cultivation. Distribution: OH, WI, and IA south to Panhandle FL and TX; introduced more broadly as in ne. United States and ON, the exact limits of the native distribution unclear.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy : = Ar, C, F, Fl7, FNA21, GrPl, Il, K4, Mi, Mo2, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, SE1, Tn, W, WH3, Binns, Baum, & Arnason (2002), Foster (1991), McGregor (1968), McKeown (1999); = Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench var. purpurea — G, Oh3; > Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench var. arkansana Steyerm. — Tx; Rudbeckia purpurea Linnaeus — (basionym)

Links to other floras: = Echinacea purpurea - FNA21

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Heliophily : 7

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image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Jennifer Ogle, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jennifer Ogle source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Rob Gardner | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Echinacea purpurea, Harrell Prairie, Jackson Prairie Remnant, Harrell Prairie Botanical Area, Bienville National Forest, Scott County, Mississippi 4 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Eric M Powell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric M Powell source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Echinacea purpurea, Harrell Prairie, Jackson Prairie Remnant, Harrell Prairie Botanical Area, Bienville National Forest, Scott County, Mississippi 7 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial of open woodlands and roadsides, sometimes persistent or spread from cultivation.

Stems: Stems green with purple-brown streaks, occasionally branching, hairy.

Leaves: Leaves mostly basal, a few alternate on the stem (smaller), oval or lance-shaped with pointed tips, 2-10 in. long, toothed, rough-hairy on both surfaces.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) solitary at stem ends; to 4 in. wide; consisting of 8-21 dark pink to purple, somewhat drooping ray florets encircling the domed center disk composed of many maroon, tubular florets intermixed with orange-brown, spiny bracts.

Fruits: Fruit an erect, cone-like head of seeds intermixed with spiny bracts.

Comments:

Height: 1.5-4 ft.

plant sale text: A gardener's favorite, eastern purple coneflower is an excellent choice for the sunny border or meadow garden. The showy flowers have pink petals around a central "cone". Drought-tolerant once established. All parts of this plant are regarded to have properties that stimulate the immune system. Butterflies flock to the flowers for their nectar and goldfinches eat the seeds with gusto. Eastern purple coneflower is a plant that will liven up your garden in many ways!

bloom table text: Purple coneflower is a beautiful and undemanding plant bearing flowerheads composed of drooping, pink rays and dark purple disk flowers. Long grown in flower gardens, this perennial blooms faithfully from midsummer into the fall. The genus name comes from the Greek word, echinos, meaning "hedgehog". They like neutral, moderately fertile soil and perform well during dry, hot weather. Through most of this century Echinacea has been the most widely used American medicinal plant, valued especially as a cold remedy. Recent research has confirmed its value as an immune system stimulant. Butterflies flock to the flowers for their nectar and goldfinches eat the seeds with gusto.

description: Erect perennial of open woodlands and roadsides, sometimes persistent or spread from cultivation.

stems: Stems green with purple-brown streaks, occasionally branching, hairy.

leaves: Leaves mostly basal, a few alternate on the stem (smaller), oval or lance-shaped with pointed tips, 2-10 in. long, toothed, rough-hairy on both surfaces.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) solitary at stem ends; to 4 in. wide; consisting of 8-21 dark pink to purple, somewhat drooping ray florets encircling the domed center disk composed of many maroon, tubular florets intermixed with orange-brown, spiny bracts.

fruits: Fruit an erect, cone-like head of seeds intermixed with spiny bracts.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: southeastern & central U.S.