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Eastern Purple Coneflower, Purple Coneflower - Echinacea purpurea


Family: Asteraceae - Aster family Genus Common Name: Purple Coneflower Native Status: Native
Echinacea purpurea - Eastern Purple Coneflower, Purple Coneflower. There are nine species of Echinacea found in the United State, with every state except for our 9 western-most states having at least one species. This species, Echinacea purpurea, is found in more of our states (28) than any of the other species.

Echinacea purpurea is a plant that grows to about 3 feet tall, with single terminal composite blossoms having pinkish-purple rays.

Eastern Purple Coneflower is listed as Endangered in Florida, and as Probably Extirpated in Michigan.

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Check here for more information about Echinacea purpurea.
Echinacea purpurea

Distribution of Echinacea purpurea in the United States and Canada:
Map unavailable.
Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
Map color key

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Site: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA Date: 2010-July-05Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson
The blossom of Eastern Purple Coneflower has 15 to 20 purplish, drooping ray flowers which are sterile, and an orangish disk.
Echinacea purpurea
Site: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA Date: 2010-July-05Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
The purple coneflowers have been classified in the Rudbeckia genus in the past, but they have been reclassified into their own genus due to some notable differences. One of those is the structure of the disk flowers. The color of the central disk comes from bracts on the disk flowers rather than from the flowers themselves. The arrow in this enlarged portion of a photo points to a disk flower.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Echinacea purpurea
Site: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA Date: 2010-July-05Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Close-up of orange bracts that make up the dominant appearance of the central disk on purple coneflowers.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Echinacea purpurea
Site: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA Date: 2010-July-05Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Echinacea purpurea grow to around 3 feet tall, and has opposite, lanceolate, petioled leaves. The longer, lower leaves may be 6 or more inches long.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Echinacea purpurea
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Echinacea purpurea initially published on USWildflowers.com 2010-07-08; Updated 2015-06-24

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
Photographs Copyright owned by the named photographer



Code Update 20230302