PlantFiles: Pale Coneflower, Pink Coneflower, Tall Coneflower
Echinacea pallida

For most of Iowa & all Minnesota (although also common southward), this is the native echinacea you will find in the wild, not the more commonly grown E. purpurea. It has much longer, ray flowers that hang down that purple coneflower. It is also a much paler (hence the name) shade of purple, more of a purplish rose or lavender. In remnant prairies at the right time, you will often see large drifts of Enarrower petals. pallida, which is very striking. Goldfinches love the seed, and many butterflies visit as pollinators. It is a must for native gardening, as it is one of the flowers your neighbors (having seen the similar purple coneflower in gardens & for sale) will at least vaguely recognize as being an intentionally grown garden flower rather than a 'weed'. It is very drought tolerant, and it is also hardy to zone 4 (not 5 as this file lists). From seed, either sow in the fall, or if indoors you will need a 45-90 day cold moist stratification for best germination (although I had decent germination with about 30 days, germination was definitely better the longer the stratification lasted). Will probably not flower the first year from seed or even nursery plugs.

This seems like a plant that wasn't meant for captivity. It is not a refined, delicate plant. It is bulky and not overly flowering. That being said if you are trying to use natives or have unique specimens than you should include this one.

The dried seed heads can be very irritating to harvest. I have found that the best time to harvest seed is after a rain or early in the morning when they are very wet from dew.
The prickly seed heads are soft and pliable and can be broken in half with your fingers and the seeds picked out. Seeds need darkness to germinate.
Goldfinch fight for these seeds, so if you want to harvest them cover with a net after the seed begins to form.

Pale purple coneflower exhibits flowers born on the top of a stiff erect stem. One to several flower stalks per plant. Ray flowers droop from a rounded head. Leaves are lance shaped, usually with three prominent veins running parallel along their length. Leaves and stems are covered with coarse spreading hairs. It attracts butterflies when in bloom and songbirds when ripe.

A fun exercise for the unknowing is to take 3 to 5 seeds and grind them between your front teeth. The resulting sensation will exhibit its pain killing ability.

Grows in Heat Zones 12-1.

Cultivation is the same as Echinacea purpurea. This species gets longer flower petals that hang down. Flowers are usually pink but do come in purple and white as well. Hardy zones 5-9.