Family

Asteraceae

Description

Purple coneflower is one of the most iconic native perennials in North America, often used as a symbol of native plant gardening. Its sturdy stems and distinctive pink-purple ray florets surrounding spiny central cones make it easily recognizable. Long-blooming and tolerant of drought, clay, and poor soil, it’s a workhorse in pollinator gardens and meadows. Its cultivars are widely used in ornamental horticulture, though Echinacea purpurea itself remains a reliable favorite.

Native to open woods and prairies of the central and southeastern United States, purple coneflower thrives in full sun and moderately fertile, well-drained soils. It supports a wide variety of pollinators—bees, butterflies, skippers—and goldfinches that feast on its seeds in late summer. Its deep taproot allows it to persist in wild and cultivated settings alike, and it often naturalizes with minimal care.

Cultivars