Common name: Purple Coneflower
Family: Asteraceae, Aster
Height x width, habit: 2-4' x 2', upright
Growth rate: moderate to fast
Foliage: dark green, alternate, simple, often clasp the stem
Flowers: purple to white or other newer, slightly reflexed petals surrounding generally brownish cone
Hardiness: zones 3-4 to 8
Soil: most
Light: sun
Pests and problems: fungal leaf spots, virus, mites, aphids, thrips
Landscape habit, uses: borders, native meadows, butterfly gardens
Other interest: very attractive to butterflies, genus name from prickly lower stem resembling a hedgehog (Latin echinos), popular for medicinal use from vitamin C supplement to colds to other attributed uses, good cut or dried flower (cone); much selection and new cultivars in recent years
Other culture: readily self sows
Propagation: seed, division unless newer patented (PPAF) cultivar
Species:
angustifolia (an-gus-ti-fol' ee-ah)--Narrow-leaf Purple Coneflower, zones 3-8, 1-3' x 2', western native similar to eastern purpurea
pallida (pal-i-dah')--Pale Coneflower, zones 4-8, 3-4' x 2', pale purple flowers in summer, native to central U.S. was used by Indians for bites, stings and burns
paradoxa (pair-a-dox' ah)--Yellow Coneflower, zones 4-7, 2-3' x 2', pale yellow flowers in summer, native to Ozark mountains
purpurea (pur-pur-ee' ah)--Purple Coneflower, zones 3-8, 2-3' x
2', purple flowers in summer, native to central U.S.
Cultivars: (of purpurea unless noted, more recent or common)
| Cultivars, other taxa | flowers | other | |
| 'Bright Star' | rose-pink | from seed, variable | |
| 'Doppelganger' | red-pink | "hose in hose" type flower with 2-tiered effect, orange-black cone | |
| 'Fragrant Angel' | white | form of 'Ruby Giant', fragrant like sweet phlox, PPAF | |
| 'Indiaca' | bright pink | short 20", appears semi-double | |
| 'Kim's Knee High' | pink-purple | orange cones, 20", may rebloom higher, selected by Kim Hawkes of Niche Gardens, PPAF | |
| 'Kim's Mophead' | white | sport of above, selected by Pierre Bennerup of Sunny Border Nurseries, 15", PPAF | |
| 'Little Giant' | pink-red | to 5" wide, double, fragrant, dark orange centers, long bloom, 12" high, PPAF | |
| 'Magnus' | rose | larger petals, PPA Plant of Year 1998 | |
| 'Mango Meadowbrite' | org-yellow | second E. introduction from Jim Ault, sport of Org. Meadowbrite, PPAF | |
| 'Orange Meadowbrite' | orange | first orange coneflower, from Chicago Botanic Garden breeding of Jim Ault, also seen as 'Art's Pride', fragrant, PPAF | |
| 'Paranoia' | yellow | introduction by Avent and Saul, paradoxa x purpurea, dwarf 12" wide and tall, sterile, PPAF | |
| 'Prairie Frost' | rose-pink, wide petals | first variegated coneflower (margins white), released in 2003 by Terra Nova, originally from Alan Costa of Plant Designs as selected in 1996 from 'Bravado' seed strain, tapering leaves, PPAF | |
| 'Razzmatazz' | pink | central pom-pom of petals covers cone, resembles peony | |
| Rocky Top hybrids | pinks | seed strain from Jelitto of endangered species tennesseensis in wild, thin ray florets, flowers follow sun | |
| 'Ruby Giant' | pink-purple | large flowers to 7" wide, flat not drooping, 3-4' tall | |
| 'Rubinstern' | dark red | long bloom, 2-3' tall | |
| 'White Swan' | white | yellow cone center, from seed | |
Less common or older cultivars: (of purpurea unless noted)
| Cultivars, other taxa | flowers | other | ||
| 'Abendsonne' | cerise-pink | |||
| 'Alba' | creamy white | greenish disc | ||
| Bressingham Hybrids | rose, red | from seed, from 'Robert Bloom' | ||
| 'Bravado' | rosy red, 4-5" | |||
| 'Crimson Star' | crimson red | horizontal flowers, sturdy, doesn't heat fade | ||
| 'Dwarf Star' | rose | shorter than 'Bright Star' | ||
| 'Overton' | rosy pink | from seed, drooping ray flowers | ||
| 'Robert Bloom' | purple rose | 4-5" flowers, upright petals, 3' tall | ||
| 'The King' | rose red | 4-5" flowers, 4-5' tall | ||
| 'White Lustre' | white | bronze-orange cone center | ||
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