Rudbeckia echinacea purpurea

RHS Plant Profile
purple coneflower

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purple coneflower RHS 1985
purple coneflower visionspictures.com
purple coneflower visionspictures.com

Other common names

black samson, eastern purple coneflower, hedgehog coneflower, purple daisy, purple rudbeckia

Synonyms

Rudbeckia echinacea purpurea, Rudbeckia purpurea

RHS Recommended

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
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An upright perennial, to about 1.5m tall, with coarsely hairy, lance-shaped mid-green basal leaves to 15cm long. Solitary flowerheads to 12cm across with slightly reflexed, light purplish-pink rays and a golden brown central disk, appear from midsummer to autumn; native to prairies and woods of eastern USA

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

RHS Recommended: for People & Planet

RHS Recommended Plants for People & Planet

For Water Resilience

Plants for Flood Resilience

Plants that can help manage heavy rain by catching rainfall, slowing surface run-off, encouraging water into the soil or taking it up through their roots, contributing to flood resilient gardens.

Plants for both Wet and Dry Conditions

Plants that cope with changing soil moisture, including wet winters and extended summer dry. Once established, they grow as wet and dry conditions alternate.

For Temperature Resilience

Plants for Temperature Cooling

Plants that cool air temperature by providing shade, transpiration, or reflection to reduce heat impact on people, animals, soil or other ground surface.

Plants for Wind Shelter

Plants with dense canopies often grown as a tall thick hedge or grouping can block wind and shelter gardens, buildings and people.

For Carbon Storage

Plants for Carbon Storage

Plants that can take up carbon (CO₂) through photosynthesis and store it within the plant or deposit it by their roots into the soil.

For Biodiversity

Plants for Pollinators

Plants that have flowering properties (pollen and/or nectar) that are particularly beneficial for pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Growing conditions for maximum benefit

This plant will provide the maximum benefits if it is healthy and allowed to grow to maturity

For Bio-Diversity

  • Plants for Pollinators

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asteraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Echinacea are erect, clump-forming rhizomatous perennials with simple or pinnately lobed leaves and solitary, long-stalked daisies with prominent conical central disks and often drooping ray florets; attractive to butterflies
Name Status
Synonym
Plant Range
C&E North America

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in deep, well-drained, humus-rich soil ideally in full sun, although toleratant of some shade, see echinacea cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or autumn or by root cuttings from late autumn to early winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Prairie planting
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back stems as the blooms fade to encourage further flower production

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free