Echinacea purpurea
Growing Information
• Plant Type: Perennial
• Sunlight: Sun, part shade
• Soils: Average, well-drained
• Bloom Time: Purple in July, August
• Size: 2-3 feet in height; 18-24 inch spread
Plant this easy-to-grow, drought tolerant wildflower in the perennial border or in masses. Native range includes New York and Pennsylvania and parts west. It is not a New England native, but it is a popular garden plant that does well on Cape Cod.
Garden Companions
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata), Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)
Nature Benefits
• Nectar plant for native bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, and wasps.
• Goldfinches eat seeds in the fall.
Native Habitat
Occurs in disturbed habitats, forest edges, and meadows.