Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Echinacea

Species:

Echinacea laevigata

USDA Symbol:

ECLA

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

150 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

pink, purple

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Historically occurred in fire-maintained woodland openings and prairies. Resprouts from rootstock after fire.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Prefers open, sunny habitats with minimal competition.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

10–30 days

Notes:

Light may enhance germination. Cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI