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Echinacea purpurea - Purple coneflower (photo credit: Missouri Botanical Gardens)

Perennials

Echinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea, commonly called purple coneflower, is native to prairies, meadows and open woods of the central to southeastern United States. It typically grows to 2-4' tall. Showy, daisy-like, purple coneflowers bloom throughout the summer atop stiff stems.

A butterfly magnet in the summer, this tall variety is perfect for the back of the border or fence and in native plantings. Deadheading will tidy up the plant, but leave the seed heads at the end of the season for goldfinches to feast upon all winter.

Additional:

Echinacea purpurea is a Missouri native on the MSD Stormwater BMP Native plant list and used in Bioretention & Organic Filters-Informal, Bioretention & Organic Filters-Formal, Infiltration Basins & Dry Swales applications.

Host plant for the following butterflies (nectar)--American Lady, Banded Hairstreak, Black Swallowtail, Clouded Sulphur, Common Checkered Skipper, Common Wood-nymph, Eastern Tailed Blue, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Fiery Skipper, Giant Swallowtail, Gray Hairstreak, Great Spangled Fritillary, Gulf Fritillary, Hayhurst’s Scallopwing, Horace’s Duskywing, Little Glassywing, Monarch, Orange Sulphur, Painted Lady, Pearl Crescent, Peck’s Skipper, Red Admiral, Red-Banded Hairstreak, Red-Spotted Admiral, Sachem, Silvery Checkerspot, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Spicebush Swallowtail, Swallowtail, Tawny-edge Skipper, Variegated Fritillary, Viceroy, Wild Indigo Duskywing, Zabulon

Purple Coneflower Growing and Maintenance Tips:

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun. An adaptable plant that is tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and poor soil.