Echinacea angustifolia aka Purple Coneflower

Echinacea angustifolia, also known as the narrow-leaved purple coneflower or blacksamson echinacea, is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. Native to North America, it is widely distributed across the Great Plains of central Canada and the central United States, with additional populations in surrounding regions. This perennial herb has spindle-shaped taproots that are often branched, and its stems and leaves are moderately to densely hairy. The plant produces flower heads at the end of long peduncles, with each head containing 8-21 pink or purple ray florets and 80-250 orange disc florets. Echinacea angustifolia blooms from late spring to mid-summer and is typically found in dry prairies and barrens with rocky to sandy-clay soils. There are two subspecies of Echinacea angustifolia. Subspecies angustifolia is native to central Canada and the central United States, ranging from Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the north to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana in the south. Subspecies strigosa has a more limited range, primarily found in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. Many Native American groups have traditionally used this plant for medicinal purposes, although there is mixed consensus on its effectiveness and safety for treating diseases. This compact and narrow-leafed perennial coneflower species can grow up to 1.2m tall. It has upright, hairy, unbranched stems and grey-green leaves. During the summer, it produces a profusion of daisy-like flowers with pale pink to purple rays that droop from a central orange cone. The narrow-leaved purple coneflower is primarily native to upland dry prairie areas in the Great Plains. It is a small coneflower that reaches a height of 1-2', with rigid stems and narrow, lanceolate to ovate green leaves. Its flowers, which bloom in June and July, have light pink to pale purple rays and orange-brown center cones. Occasionally, sporadic blooming may continue throughout the summer. The seeds that form in the center cones attract goldfinches. The name Echinacea is derived from the Greek word echinos, meaning hedgehog, in reference to the spiny center cone of the flower. The term angustifolia translates to narrow-leaved, which accurately describes this species.