Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Summer-blooming, herbaceous perennial
Description: Showy, deep-pink, daisy-like flowers on tall stems above a thick clump of deep green foliage
Habit: Grows 3 to 4 feet in height by 2 to 3 feet wide
Culture: Prefers full sun to light shade and well-drained garden loam; drought tolerant; plant the crown at ground level
Hardiness: Cold hardy to USDA Zone 3
Origin: North America
Attributes: Drought tolerant, Deer resistant, Attracts bees and butterflies

Native to central and southeastern United States, this showy perennial was first sent to Europe by Reverend John Banister, an English Chaplin sent to Virginia by Bishop Compton in 1678. Banister was not only a clergyman, but also a notable plant collector and naturalist. In the 19th century, Thomas Fessenden, an important American garden writer, commented on coneflowers: "Many flowers - very durable - much admired". This Coneflower has many landscape benefits: the flowers attract butterflies, birds consume the seeds, and it is drought- and deer-tolerant.

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) arrives in a 3.5" pot.