Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Purple coneflower is a native perennial plant with large, lavender flowers that bloom in early summer.
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Appearance
Purple coneflower has large, lavender flowers with a spiny, dome-shaped, orange or brown center. Its stems have small, rough hairs. Flowers bloom in early summer, usually in June to July. Purple coneflower grows 1 to 3 feet tall.
Reproduction and life cycle
After blooming, the flower’s dome-shaped center matures into a seed head. Wind, animals and other natural disturbances spread the seeds. New seedlings grow in spring.
Did you know?
- The purple coneflower's scientific name comes from the Greek word echinos which means hedgehog. This refers to the flower’s spiky, cone-shaped center.
- It attracts bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects.
- Echinacea, drawn from the coneflower plant, is used as a popular herbal tea. Studies have shown that echinacea may help boost the immune system and fend off infections.
- There are many coneflower cultivars which are plants bred for specific traits that come in various colors, including white, pink, red and orange.
Sources and additional information
- PLANTS Profile for Echinacea purpurea – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Echinacea purpurea – The University of Texas at Austin
- Eastern Purple Coneflower – Dave’s Garden