Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Echinacea purpurea
Purple Coneflower
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Height
- 3 to 4 feet
- Width
- 2 to 3 feet
- Flower color
- Purple-pink petals with an orange-brown central cone
- Foliage color
- Green
- Bloom time
- Summer to early fall
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low
- Growing zone
- USDA Zones 3-8
- Wildlife
- Butterflies, bees, and seed-eating birds
About this plant
Echinacea purpurea, commonly known as purple coneflower, is a hardy perennial that produces vibrant, daisy-like flowers from midsummer to early fall. The blooms feature prominent, spiky orange-brown centers surrounded by drooping, purple-pink petals, adding bold texture and color to the garden. These long-lasting flowers are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Native to central and eastern North America, Echinacea purpurea thrives in prairies and open woodlands. Its resilience and adaptability have made it a popular choice in cultivated gardens, where it is often used in wildflower meadows, borders, or as part of pollinator-friendly plantings. This species is also celebrated for its traditional herbal uses and ecological value.
Works well in
Borders · Sun Gardens · Pollinator Gardens · Bird Gardens · Cut Flower Gardens
Companion plants
Ornamental grasses · Garden phlox · Black-eyed Susans · Daylilies · Lavender · Coreopsis
Design tip
Late flowers extend the season, so set it behind or beside plants that finish in midsummer. Give it open sun and room to fill out, and repeat it in threes or fives so the planting reads as one sweep instead of scattered dots.
