The lovely pale purple coneflower, Echinacea pallida, is a hardy perennial that brings beauty from Nebraska to Michigan and all the way down to Georgia and Texas. With its narrow, toothless, dark green leaves and large, daisy-like flowers, you’ll notice the charming drooping, pale pinkish-purple petals surrounding a striking coppery-orange center cone. These vibrant blooms grace our gardens on sturdy stems that reach 2-3 feet tall during the long summer days. This delightful species stands out with its thin, parallel-veined leaves and relaxed flowers that gently droop downwards. You’ll find the most stunning flower displays from late June to late July, with a few enchanting blooms lingering into autumn.
This resilient plant loves to grow in dry to medium, well-drained soil, thriving best in full sun to partial shade. It can withstand heat, drought, humidity, and even less-than-ideal soils! To keep it healthy, remember to divide any overcrowded clumps about every four years. Most of the time, these lovely coneflowers will bloom again without needing deadheading, but if you remove the spent flowers promptly, they’ll look even nicer. And don’t forget to leave a few seed heads so these beautiful flowers can reseed themselves.
Nectar Source Plant: American Lady Butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis), Red Admiral Butterfly (Vanessa Atalanta), Great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
