Coneflowers (Echinacea)

Coneflowers (Echinacea)

​Coneflowers are native flowers that belong to the genus Echinacea in the Asteraceae family, which includes asters, daisies, and sunflowers. The genus name, Echinacea, comes from echinos, a Greek word meaning sea-urchin. Echinos refers to the cone in the center of the flowers, which has spikes reminiscent of sea urchins. Probably the best-known coneflower species is the purple coneflower although there are about 9 other species in the Echinacea genus, only one of which is yellow (Bush’s coneflower). Coneflowers are perennial plants; most species contain a taproot making them drought-tolerant. Most coneflowers do not tolerate overly moist soils with poor drainage. The purple coneflowers were medicinal plants used by many Native American tribes and can still be found today in many herbal teas. Many pollinators including bees are attracted to coneflowers and butterflies and hummingbirds often feed on their nectar. In the fall, birds, such as Goldfinches, are attracted to the spent flowers to eat the seeds, which is one reason to keep the dead flowers around all winter.

Bush’s Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa)

Bush’s coneflower also known as Ozark coneflower, is unusual as it is yellow (giving it its species name of paradoxa). It reaches about 3 feet high in full to partial sun with dry to medium moist soils. It blooms earlier in the summer than many other coneflowers, starting in June. The name comes from its native range in the Ozark region of Arkansas and Missouri but can also be found (rarely) in Oklahoma and Texas. In general, this is a rare flower and would be helped by planting it, especially if you live in its native range although it will grow well from the Midwest to the East Coast. It is also deer-resistant and like the other coneflowers it attracts many bees and butterflies, and birds enjoy the seeds. Other coneflowers may cross-pollinate and lead to oddly colored flowers in your flower bed.

Coneflowers are easy to start from seed or you can buy plugs or plants from native nurseries.

Narrow-Leaved Coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)

Narrow-leaved coneflower is similar to purple coneflower but its leaves, as the name suggests, are narrower. It grows best in dry to medium-dry soil with full sun and is drought-resistant. Like other coneflowers, it attracts many pollinators. It (even more than the pale purple coneflower) is important for the life cycle of the Ottoe-skipper butterfly (Hesperia ottoe), an endangered species. Its native range is in the center of the United States from Minnesota to Montana, as far north as Canada and south into Texas. 

Ozark Coneflower (Echinacea simulata)

​The Ozark coneflower, not to be confused with Bush’s coneflower, which is also known as Ozark coneflower, is found mostly in the Ozark region of Missouri and Arkansas. Other common names include Wavyleaf Purple Coneflower and Glade Coneflower. This flower is very similar to the Pale Purple Coneflower and can be hard to distinguish, although their pollen color differs. The Ozark coneflower reaches about 3 feet high when grown in full to partial sun with medium to medium-dry soil. This flower blooms earlier in the summer, usually in June and July.

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

​Pale purple coneflower, as its name suggests, is a pale purple to pink colored flower. It has a long taproot that makes it very drought resistant once established but it therefore does not transplant easily. It grows best in full to partial sun with dry to medium soil. Pale purple coneflower grows up to 3 feet tall and blooms earlier in the summer when many other flowers have not yet flowered. If you plant this flower with purple coneflower which starts flowering in mid-summer, you can have blooms from early to late summer. In addition to attracting birds, bees, and hummingbirds the larva of the Ottoe-skipper butterfly (Hesperia ottoe), an endangered species, also eats the leaves. The native range of this flower is from much of the east coast into the Midwest and north into Canada.

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Purple coneflower has a fibrous root system, making it less drought-tolerant although it is still reasonably drought-tolerant once established. It prefers full to partial sun and can tolerate dry to medium-wet soils. It is also deer-resistant. Purple coneflower can be found from the East Coast to the Midwest and Canada. It can grow up to 4 feet high and is a favorite of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators with its long flowering time of 2 months in mid to late summer. If you deadhead the old flowers, it will sometimes re-bloom in the fall. Purple coneflower can be planted with the earlier blooming pale purple coneflower to have consistent flowering from early to late summer.

Purple coneflower growing wild on my property in central Wisconsin.

Tennessee Coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis)

The Tennessee coneflower is only found in Tennessee. Until recently it was considered an endangered species. The flowers bloom for most of the summer and like other coneflowers, also attract many butterflies and bees. It has a long taproot making it drought-tolerant and grows best in full to partial sun with dry to medium-dry soil. It only reaches approximately 2 feet in height.

References

1. Prairie Moon Nursery. https://www.prairiemoon.com/search-results.html?Search=echinacea#/?resultsPerPage=24
2. Prairie Nursery. https://www.prairienursery.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=+Echinacea
3. Butterflies and Moths of North America. https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Hesperia-ottoe
4. BONAP’s North American Plant Atlas. https://bonap.net/Napa/TaxonMaps/Genus/State/Echinacea