How to identify Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

How to identify Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Purple coneflower, also known as Hedgehog coneflower

Purple coneflower stands as a robust perennial reaching heights of 3 to 4 feet (about 90 to 120 cm) with a striking floral display that graces gardens from early summer to mid-fall. This plant exhibits one or two rows of ray flowers, characterized by their typically purplish hue and downward spreading arrangement, circling around a prominent, brown-domed central head. The foliage presents a tactile experience with its coarse texture, with leaves that are often described as rough to the touch.

Lifespan: Perennial, Annual

Plant Type: Herb

Leaf Type: Deciduous

Quickly Identify Purple coneflower

Prominent purplish-brown central disc with lavender ray petals in a daisy-like arrangement.

Coarse, scabrous leaves with serrate edges, dark green color, and ovate-lanceolate shape.

Stem is light green with purple streaks, white hairs, slightly rough texture, and moderate thickness.

Distinct hairy stem with fine hairs, upright growth, and occasional branching near floral arrangements.

Small, dry, dark achenes with 4-sided shape nestled in a prominent central cone.

Detailed Traits of Purple coneflower

Leaf Features

The leaves of purple coneflower are 3-8 inches (7.6-20.3 cm) long, alternate, simple, and dark green with a rough, scabrous texture. The basal leaves are broadly lanceolate to ovate with winged petioles, narrowly acute tips, broad cuneate bases, and denticulate to coarsely toothed margins. Upper stem leaves are smaller, narrower, short-petiolate to sessile, and have nearly entire margins. All leaves are ovate to ovate-lanceolate with serrate edges, aiding in easy identification.

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Flower Features

The flowers of purple coneflower bloom from June to August, featuring single inflorescences atop stiff stems. Each flower is up to 5 inches (12.7 cm) across, with a domed, purplish-brown, spiny central disc surrounded by drooping, lavender ray petals in a daisy-like arrangement. The ray flowers, typically purple or pinkish, encircle the central disc flowers. Cultivars exhibit a variety of colors, including white, pink, purple, red, orange, and yellow.

Inflorescence Type

Capitulum/Head

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Stem Features

The stem of purple coneflower is light green with small purple streaks and scattered white hairs. It is distinctly hairy, with a dense covering of fine hairs that give it a slightly rough texture. The stem is moderately thick, averaging around 0.4 inches (1 cm) in diameter, and exhibits a somewhat rigid, upright growth pattern. Branches may arise at the upper portions, typically where floral arrangements develop. These characteristics make the stem identifiable and significant for purple coneflower.

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Fruit Features

The fruit of purple coneflower is comprised of small, dark achenes that have a 4-sided shape. Each achene exhibits a dry and hard texture. These seeds are nestled within the prominent central cone of the plant, which can be particularly eye-catching. Once matured, they appeal to a variety of birds, adding an ecological interaction to their characteristics. The seeds may measure just a few millimeters in length, making them a petite feature on this otherwise vibrant and noticeable plant.

Learn About the Fruit Glossary

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Purple coneflower and Their Similar Plants

Purple Coneflower vs. Purple coneflower: What's The Difference?

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) is a perennial wildflower native to eastern and central North America. Its scientific name means "pale hedgehog" or "sea urchin" due to the appearance of the spiky central cone in the middle of each summer-blooming flower head.

Blacksamson echinacea vs. Purple coneflower: What's The Difference?

Blacksamson echinacea or Echinacea angustifolia is a purple coneflower in the sunflower family. This wildflower can be grown as an ornamental perennial. Cultivated examples often appear more attractive than their wild counterparts which have to compete with other plants. Blacksamson echinacea is occasionally grown for its essential oils.

Tennessee purple coneflower vs. Purple coneflower: What's The Difference?

Echinacea tennesseensis is a flowering plant, also known as tennessee purple coneflower. It is endemic to central Tennesse in the United States, especially the cedar glades. It was once an endangered plant, but now all the threats to it have been reduced. It is still a rare species.

Yellow coneflower vs. Purple coneflower: What's The Difference?

Yellow coneflower is a perennial coneflower that very rarely occurs as a wildflower — in fact, it's only known to grow natively in a few states in the US. The paradox alluded to in the plant's Latin name, Echinacea paradoxa, is that this is the only species in the Echinacea genus to have yellow flowers.

Purple coneflower 'Magnus' vs. Purple coneflower: What's The Difference?

Purple coneflower 'Magnus' is a popular garden plant that attracts butterflies. Native to central and eastern North America, it has traditional medicinal uses. It is easy to grow in full sun and dry to medium soil.

Purple coneflower 'White Swan' vs. Purple coneflower: What's The Difference?

Purple coneflower 'White Swan' is a striking herbaceous perennial with robust white daisy-like flowers, each showcasing a raised, cone-shaped, orange-gold center. The blooms, held aloft on sturdy stems above dark green foliage, attract butterflies and other pollinators. Thriving in full sun to part shade, purple coneflower 'White Swan' is drought-resistant once established, making it a resilient choice for gardens and naturalistic plantings.

Smooth purple coneflower vs. Purple coneflower: What's The Difference?

Smooth purple coneflower is a perennial herb notable for its tall, smooth stems and striking conical flower heads. A distinctive characteristic is its pale pink to pale purple petals, which gracefully recurve as they mature, circling around a spiky, orange-brown central cone. Thriving in well-drained prairies, this plant has adapted to attract pollinators, while its deep taproot system enables survival in drier conditions.

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Key Facts About Purple coneflower

Attributes of Purple coneflower

Lifespan

Perennial, Annual

Plant Type

Herb

Plant Height

30 cm to 1.5 m

Spread

10 cm to 50 cm

Leaf Color

Green

Flower Size

7 cm to 15 cm

Flower Color

Pink

Purple

White

Brown

Red

Orange

Yellow

Fruit Color

Black

White

Stem Color

Green

Purple

Brown

Leaf type

Deciduous

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Scientific Classification of Purple coneflower

Phylum

Vascular plants

Class

Dicotyledons

Order

Asters bellflowers fanflowers and allies

Family

Daisy

Genus

Coneflowers

Species

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

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Distribution Map of Purple coneflower

Purple coneflower originates from the open woods and grasslands of southeastern United States. It has been introduced as a garden ornamental across a large portion of Europe, Central and Southeast Asia, and South America.

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

Learn More About the Purple coneflower

A Comprehensive Guide to Purple coneflower How to Grow and Care for Purple coneflower