Echinacea purpurea
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Eastern Purple Coneflower
Asteraceae (Compositae)
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Flower | |
| Size: | 3-5 ft tall by 2-3 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Short-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Pink,purple | |
| Fruit Color: | NA | |
| Phenology: | Winter dormant. Blooms spring-fall. | |
| Noted for: | Showy flowers |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Works well in almost any garden with mixed wildflower species. North of Florida, this species is sometimes planted as single-species mass plantings. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | The further south you go, the more short-lived this species gets. Except in extreme north Florida, treat as an annual or at least don't assume that it will be a long-lasting perennial. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | This species is easily grown from seed or by division of existing clumps. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Big box stores, Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales, Quality nurseries, Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Short very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Short very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Clay, Loam, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Adaptable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Small birds and small mammals consume the seed. | |
| Insects: | Attracts many pollinators, especially bees. | |
| Native Habitats: | Upland glades, openings in upland mixed forests on calcareous soils. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| Ethnobotany: | Echinacea is believed by many people to stimulate the immune system | |
| General Comments: | Requires a reliable cold period to persist. In most of Florida it can be treated as an annual in gardens. Listed as Endangered by the State of Florida. While this is a common garden plant in the north, its range barely reaches Florida, and it is rare and exists only in a highly specific habitate in the wild. |