Echinacea pallida

Common Names

Pale Purple Coneflower, Pale Coneflower, Pale Echinacea

Summary

Pale Purple Coneflower is a native North American herbaceous perennial that typically grows 2–3 ft tall, with upright unbranched stems and basal leaves, and a single flower head featuring slender reflexed pink to purple ray florets around a reddish-brown central cone amid a coarse, hairy habit and a long taproot that supports drought tolerance; its native range includes the central United States and Ontario, where it grows in prairies, open woods, and glades.

In cultivation, it prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil, tolerates drought once established, and is hardy in USDA zones 3–10; it is easy to grow with low maintenance, self-seeds readily, and can be divided every few years for vigor. Common uses include borders, native plantings, prairies, and wildflower meadows; it serves as a cut flower and in dried arrangements, and it attracts bees and butterflies while seeds are eaten by goldfinches.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-3 ft

Spread

12-18 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun or partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

4.5–7.5

Bloom Color

Pink to pale purple (occasionally white)

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate (medium) growth rate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division, Root cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds are attracted