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Purple Coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea)

Pronounced "ek-in AY-sea",
but people often say "ek-in AY-sha"

This is a stand of coneflowers in July.

Not a native to our area. It is often found in fields and dry, open woods in the southeastern US.

 

 

 

This plant has been in the news alot for the last few years as an herb that will help prevent colds. It has been researched and changes in the immune system have been documented when it is used (Science News).

This plant is much enjoyed by the butterflies.

A strong plant with stiff stems and tough leaves. The cone, after the petals drop, is a tough pricky thing that is interesting to use in dried flower arrangements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can be a word detective and figure out that something about the plant must have a prickly appearance by looking at the botanical name, Echinacea purpurea.

Echinus is latin for the hedgehog, that prickly little animal that can roll up like a ball which Alice used to play croquet with when she was in Wonderland.

Another garden plant I like is the echinops. You now know what it might look like if I tell you its common name is Globe Thistle.

Purple Coneflower is a member of the Compositae Family, one of the largest plant families that includes many favorites, among others, Thistle, Aster, Daisy, Sunflower, Zinnia and Dahlia.

Members of "Families" share certain features. The thing I see easily is that these flowers have petal-like rays arranged symmetrically around a center. Actually every little tiny dot you see in the middle is a flower, with only the ones around the edge of the center having a showy ray sticking out. How about that.!? (By the way, when a word ends in "ae", pronounce it "ee".)

In the picture above, something ate the rays that should be sticking out towards you!

Study pointers:

• use your hand lens (magnifying glass) to look at the center of the flower. Can you see the separate tiny flowers (florets)? The ones around the edges develop first. Depending how old the flower head is you might see different things. Maybe only one or two rings of florets are doing their thing around the edge, or maybe they all are.
  
• Now that you know about the Compositae family, how many of them have you actually seen around in gardens?
  
• Look up some other Compositae. Are they valuable food sources for insects or larger animals? How are they pollinated?
  
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