Pale Purple Coneflower - Prairie Native, Echinacea pallida

Pale Purple Coneflower - This is the most widespread of all the purple coneflowers with a range as far south as Georgia and Alabama, extending to the east, across the Midwest and to the Central Plains. It readily adapts to almost any soil as long as it is well drained. You can find it in clay, limerock, sand or loam.  It is beloved by butterflies, birds and other pollinators.  Plants reach 3-4' tall. Perennial. Hardy to zones 3-9 It is also known as Blacksamson echinacea as well. 

Botanical Name: Echinacea pallida

Characteristics: 

• Perennial and hardy to zone 4, most southern range of the purple coneflowers
• One of the very best for attracting butterflies and birds
• Plants grow to 2-4 feet tall
• Light purple flowers
• 1/2 gram or ~95 Seeds per packet 

Instructions - Pale Purple Coneflower requires cold and moist stratification for a really good germination rate. Simply sow the seeds 2-3 months before the last frost or you can mimic the stratification process but sowing the seeds in soil or sand, water and cover to prevent the media from drying out.  It requires 1-2 months in the cold. Once sprouts start to grow you can then transplant outside if the harsh frosts are gone or in larger pots. 

Alternatively

• Start Indoors - 8-10 weeks before the last frost.
• Sow 1/2" deep
• Germination 10-20days
• Thin 18-24" apart

Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute seed vendors from time to time because of availability