Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Pallida)

Pale-purple coneflower is a flowering plant (forb) in the aster family. Two- to four-foot tall plants produce light purple blooms that somewhat resemble daisies. The plants have deep taproots, which is typical of many prairie natives. The deep roots may make the plants somewhat more resistant to drought, once established.

Leaves are lanceolate with three veins. The plant's stems are pale green to medium green in color, and may be tinged with purple streaks. It is somewhat smaller than purple coneflower (E. purpurea). The petals of the flowers are narrower than those in E. purpurea and tend to droop below the central button of the flower in E. pallida.

With the current craze for coneflowers among gardeners, this plant may be an interesting (and trendy) addition to a garden. It does best in full sun to light shade; but it is somewhat more vigorous in full sun in my garden.

Both bare-root plants and seeds are available from nurseries specializing in native plants, such as Prairie Nursery, and other sources. Starting the plant from seed indoors requires a period of damp chilling before planting the seeds in flats. This can be done by mixing the seeds with damp sand or vermiculite and storing this mixture in plastic zippered bags in the refrigerator. Prairie Moon Nursery's cultural guide recommends chilling the seeds for 90 days before planting. Another option is to plant seeds outdoors in the fall.

Once established, the plant requires relatively little maintenance.

According to the USDA, echinacea pallida ranges over much of the eastern United States, though it is absent in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Vermont, and New Hamshire.

In Tennessee and Wisconsin, the plant is listed as "threatened." It has been challenged by habitat destruction and harvesting of the roots for herbal medicine. Native Americans used the leaves for rheumatism, mumps, and measles and the roots to treat burns and toothaches. The root was also chewed to treat colds and prevent thirst; a tea made from the roots was used for sore gums and throats.