Eastern Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
- Native to:
- United States
iNaturalist: © austin_ (iNaturalist #16813957)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Echinacea
- Species:
- Echinacea purpurea
- USDA Symbol:
- ECPU
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, pink, white
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
American sunflower moth (Homoeosoma electella)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Bombus Latreille, Brown-belted bumble (Bombus griseocollis), Ceratina Latreille, Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica), eastern thistle longhorn bee (Melissodes desponsus), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Lemon cuckoo (Bombus citrinus), Ptilothrix bombiformis, Pyrobombus Dalla, Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Two-spotted Longhorn (Melissodes bimaculatus), Western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Zadontomerus Ashmead Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Moths:Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata), Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis) Butterflies:American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), Atalopedes Scudder, Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes), Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris), Eastern Giant (Heraclides cresphontes), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Great Spangled (Argynnis cybele), Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius), Julia butterfly (Dione vanillae), ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Peck's skipper (Polites peckius), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis), Small White (Pieris rapae), Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus), Zabulon Skipper (Lon zabulon)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds, beneficial insects
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from rootstock after fire; historically maintained by prairie fires.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in prairies and open woodlands
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 10–21 days
- Notes:
- Light aids germination; do not cover seeds deeply. Surface sow or barely cover.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Notes: Light required for germination; do not cover seed.
Source: Claude AI
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 20C. Germinates within 3 months.