Audubon® Pale Purple Coneflower

A living birdfeeder! Pale Purple Coneflower gives goldfinches a meal they can’t refuse when its seeds start to ripen in late summer. The seedheads will bring these zippy little birds flocking to your garden. Plant a patch by your deck or patio, so you can watch their antics at close range as they try to gather every last seed from the knobby cones. Earlier in the summer, you’ll love the whimsical pale pink flowers with their long, ribbony petals swaying in the breeze. Some of our showiest native butterflies—great spangled fritillaries, monarchs, and swallowtails—enjoy Coneflowers, too, and they’ll come to sip their nectar.

Pale Purple Coneflower is a relic of our proud prairie past, when wildflowers grew shoulder-to-shoulder with tall grasses throughout our nation’s heartland. Now cornfields and parking lots have mostly taken the prairie’s place, though this native Spirit lives on in the wild spaces that remain. Its natural range extends from Iowa and Illinois down to Texas and Louisiana, with scattered populations occurring in nearby states. Its existence is threatened in Wisconsin and Tennessee, due in part to over-collecting. Some believe that Coneflower, a.k.a. Echinacea, is effective in treating or preventing colds, though the science is not conclusive on that.

Butterflies aren’t only interested in Pale Purple Coneflower’s blossoms. One species—the silvery Checkerspot—lays its eggs on the foliage for its caterpillars to eat. This petite orange and black butterfly is a lovely garden visitor (if it doesn’t become more bird food!).

Audubon is devoted to protecting birds and the places they need, while Bower & Branch is devoted to the growth of true native trees and plants–no cultivars or hybrids. Together, we strive to unite communities in conservation and inspire individuals to cultivate a better world for birds starting in their own backyards, balconies, or patios. By guiding and recommending trees and plants truly native and beneficial to your region, we can really start to make a difference.

What is the definition of Native?

“In the United States, a native plant is defined as one that was naturally found in a particular area before European colonization. Native plants are the foundation of a region’s biodiversity, providing essential food sources and shelter for birds, especially those threatened by the changing climate. Since native plants are adapted to local precipitation and soil conditions, they generally require less upkeep, therefore helping the environment and saving you time, water, and money.” – The National Audubon Society

Learn how you can help birds in your home and community through Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.

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