Echinacea sanguinea aka Sanguine Purple Coneflower

Echinacea sanguinea belongs to the aster family. This perennial lives for more than one year. Its common name is sanguine purple coneflower. It grows wild in the south-central United States. Its range takes in eastern Texas and western Louisiana. It also grows in southeastern Oklahoma and far southwestern Arkansas. In the wild, it grows on prairies and woodland edges. It grows in clearings, too. These open sites suit its need for sun.

Mature clumps stand 1.5–4 feet (0.46–1.22 metres) tall. They spread across 1–3 feet (0.30–0.91 metres). Most leaves grow near the base of the plant. Leaves range from narrow and oval to lance-shaped. They reach about 0.83 feet (0.25 metres) long. They can be about 0.08 feet (0.025 metres) wide. The stems have a purple tint and do not branch. Each stem bears one flower head at its tip.

The flowers open from May through July. Each head has a dark cone of disk florets. These are the small flowers that form the cone. Ray florets droop around it. Their hues range from pale pink to pink-purple. The rays reach about 0.23 feet (0.07 metres) long. Plants often bloom again even when spent flowers stay in place. The blooms draw butterflies. Songbirds eat from the seedheads in winter. Cut flowers suit both fresh and dried displays.

Grow this coneflower in full sun and soil that drains well. It prefers sandy soil with a slightly acid pH. It needs dry soil or soil with a medium level of moisture. It copes with drought, heat, damp air, and poor soil. It also copes with clay, dry ground, and shallow rocky soil. The listed hardiness range covers USDA zones 4–9. Plants need little care when the site meets these needs. Split crowded clumps about every four years.

Plant groups in borders, native gardens, prairies, or wildflower meadows. It also suits ground where plants can grow and spread freely. Woodland gardens with some shade suit it, too. Full sun is still best. Leave some seedheads to feed birds, but expect free self-seeding. The plant tolerates deer, though pests and diseases can occur. Watch for mites and Japanese beetles. Aster yellows can cause problems. Fungi or bacteria can cause leaf spots, too. The supplied sources do not say whether it is safe to eat. They give no guidance on toxicity.