Echinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflower is a perennial wildflower that typically grows about 1 m tall. This plant may also be known by the common name Echinacea. The leaves are dark green coloured, coarse, ovate to lanceolate shaped. The flowers are showy, pale purple to pink, appear atop erect stems, and bloom between June and August. This wildflower spreads well and can be used to naturalize un-vegetated areas. The roots can be useful for controlling erosion and stabilizing shorelines. This flower blooms for long periods. The flowers are beneficial to pollinator species, like bees and butterflies. The seeds are also beneficial to wildlife species, like birds and small mammals.

This wildflower grows best in dry to normal conditions with full to partial sun exposure. It prefers well-drained soil but can tolerate a range of soil types. It is tolerant of deer grazing. It can tolerate drought and dry soil but young plants should be watered occasionally during hot summers. This wildflower can be naturally found in open forests, forest edges, prairies, meadows and fields, along roadsides.

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Scientific Name: Echinacea purpurea
Type: Ground Cover
Height: 1 m
Spread: 1 m
Moisture Level: dry, moist
Light Conditions: full sun, part sun
Soil Conditions: sand, clay, loam, rocky
Zone (Hardiness of Canada):