Purple Coneflowers Feed Many Kinds Of Insects

Pictured here are examples of Purple Coneflower, Echinacea sanguinea.
The flowers are made up of many tiny florets like other members of the sunflower family (Asteraceae).

The disk flowers form a large, spiny mound in the center that looks like a pincushion and Echinacea is a latin term that reflects this.
These wildflowers only occur in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. They like moist, sandy, acidic soils and lots of sun.

Many species of butterflies and other insects come to feed upon the nectar of the Purple Coneflower. Pictured here is an American Lady butterfly who has seen better days but is still able to fly despite the damage.

Bumble Bees and other native bees are fed by these wildflowers.

Here is a Green Skipper butterfly fueling up before it moves to another nearby flower.

Purple Coneflowers bloom from April to July and are the natural source of the medicinal herb Echinacea. These wildflowers can be grown in the garden, and because they are perennials you don’t have to replant each year. These individuals were photographed in West Texas.