Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea, often called the purple coneflower, is a lovely perennial herbaceous plant that hails from the central to southeastern United States. You can find it thriving in moist prairies, meadows, and open woods, spreading its beauty from Ohio to Michigan, Iowa, and all the way down to Louisiana and Georgia. Typically growing between 2 to 4 feet, it showcases stunning daisy-like purple flowers all summer long! These charming flowers emerge on sturdy stems adorned with coarse, dark green leaves that are broad and ovate. They're perfect for brightening up fresh-cut arrangements or adding a touch of elegance when dried.

Even during winter, the dead flower stems stand tall, offering a feast for goldfinches and other seed-loving birds that might visit the blackened cones left behind. This resilient plant has an impressive ability to flourish even in drought, heat, humidity, and less-than-ideal soil. It prefers full sun to part shade and is quite simple to grow in average, well-drained soil.

Although it often reblooms without needing any deadheading, taking a moment to remove spent flowers can really enhance its overall look. When the clumps start to get a bit crowded—usually every four years—you can divide the plant with ease. Plus, if you leave some of the seed heads intact, this delightful plant will happily self-seed, continuing its beautiful legacy in your garden.

Nectar Source Plant: Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes), Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Common Checkered Skipper ( Pyrgus communis), Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus), Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)