# narrow-leaved purple coneflower (*Echinacea angustifolia*) The narrow-leaved purple coneflower is a beautiful flower with bright purple petals and a spiky center. It's a favorite among butterflies and bees, making gardens lively and colorful! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![narrow-leaved purple coneflower](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Echinacea_angustifolia_kz02.jpg&width=800) Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Echinacea_angustifolia_kz02.jpg) ## Appearance The narrow-leaved purple coneflower has striking purple-pink ray petals that typically droop downwards, surrounding a prominent, spiky, dark brown central cone. Its leaves are long and slender, giving it a distinct, elegant appearance compared to other coneflowers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Echinacea ## Interesting facts - Indigenous peoples traditionally chewed its roots to help with toothaches or sore throats. - Its name, 'Echinacea,' comes from a Greek word meaning 'hedgehog,' for its spiky center! - Many goldfinches love to eat the tiny seeds hidden within its tough, prickly seed heads. - This amazing plant can sprout new flowers even after wildfires pass through its home! ## Special abilities - **Deep Drinker:** narrow-leaved purple coneflower can grow a super long taproot that helps it find water deep underground to survive dry spells. - **Spiky Shield:** Its tough, spiky central cone helps protect seeds from hungry critters and scatters them when birds peck at it. - **Pollinator Beacon:** Bright purple petals and a nectar-rich center lure many bees and butterflies, ensuring its flowers are pollinated. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-45 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-8 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — drinks nectar from flowers - **Eaten by:** [American goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Spinus tristis*) — eats mature seeds from flower heads ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don’t pick flowers in nature; they need to grow for everyone to enjoy! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify narrow-leaved purple coneflower? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is narrow-leaved purple coneflower? 30-90 cm ### How wide does narrow-leaved purple coneflower spread? 30-45 cm ### How big are the flowers on narrow-leaved purple coneflower? 5-8 cm ### When does narrow-leaved purple coneflower bloom? Summer ### Is narrow-leaved purple coneflower edible? Yes ### Is narrow-leaved purple coneflower toxic? None ### What is narrow-leaved purple coneflower's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Falls Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/falls-park) — South Dakota, US · Park - [Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lyndon-b-johnson-national-grassland) — Texas, US · National Park - [Reptile Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/reptile-gardens) — South Dakota, US · Zoo - [Dinosaur Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dinosaur-park) — South Dakota, US · Botanical Garden - [Jewel Cave National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jewel-cave-national-monument) — South Dakota, US · National Park [View all places to see narrow-leaved purple coneflower](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/narrow-leaved-purple-coneflower) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Narrow-leaved Purple Coneflower Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/narrow-leaved-purple-coneflower)