What Is Echinacea Flower?

Purple Coneflower

• Purple coneflower grows to a mature height of up to 3 1/2 feet tall, producing 3-inch wide blooms with dark, prickly centers and cascading purple or lavender petals. Purple coneflower is suitable for U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 9 according to Floridata, though the Missouri Botanical Garden recommends the flower for USDA zones 3 to 8. Cultivars include the rose-pink flowered "Magnus," the white-flowered "White Swan" and the compact, purplish pink "Kim's Knee High."

Other Species

• Other coneflower species include yellow coneflower (E. paradoxa), a yellow flowered variety that hails from the midwestern prairies of the Ozarks and parts of Arkansas, pale coneflower (E. pallida), a short-lived, narrow flowered species that is considered a threatened species in Tennessee, and narrow-leaf purple coneflower (E. angustifolia), a 12- to 16-inch species that produces grass-like leaves and pinkish blooms. Yellow coneflower is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 7, pale coneflower is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8 and narrow-leaf purple coneflower is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 8.

Culture

• Coneflowers generally are not picky about soil so long as it is well draining. They are notably drought tolerant, though they will suffer in salty soils. If planting multiple coneflowers, provide 18 to 24 inches between each plant to avoid overcrowding. To encourage healthy new growth, coneflowers should be fertilized in the spring with one pound per 100 square feet soil of a 12-6-6 slow release fertilizer. Clemson Cooperative Extension recommends planting coneflowers in the fall.

Uses

• A wildlife oriented garden is greatly enhanced by the presence of coneflowers, which attract butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. Long-lasting flowers are held on stiff stems that are excellent for cut flower arrangements. Flowers also dry well. In good cultural conditions they may be a little too easy to grow. They can become very aggressive according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The Missouri Botanical Garden notes that they make good companion plants for black-eyed Susan flowers (Rudbeckia spp.).