Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea ‘Butterfly Kisses’)

Features and Characteristics

Echinacea purpurea, commonly called purple coneflower, is a coarse, rough-hairy, herbaceous perennial that is native to moist prairies, meadows and open woods of the central to southeastern United States (Ohio to Michigan to Iowa south to Louisiana and Georgia). It typically grows to 2-4′ tall. Showy daisy-like purple coneflowers (to 5″ diameter) bloom throughout summer atop stiff stems clad with coarse, ovate to broad-lanceolate, dark green leaves. Good fresh cut or dried flower. The dead flower stems will remain erect well into the winter, and if flower heads are not removed, the blackened cones may be visited by goldfinches or other birds that feed on the seeds.

Genus name of Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos meaning hedgehog or sea-urchin in reference to the spiny center cone found on most flowers in the genus.

‘Butterfly Kisses’ was bred by Arie Blom of AB-Cultivars in The Netherlands from an unnamed seed parent and an unknown pollen parent. Introduced by Plants Nouveau, it is in the Cone-fections™ series and has fragrant 3-inch double flowers with a bright pink pompom-type center surrounded by lighter pink ray flowers. ‘Butterfly Kisses’ is a compact cultivar that grows only 1 to 5 ft. tall and wide. U.S. Plant Patent 24,458 issued May 13, 201 The double blooms this cultivar produces are not as beneficial to wildlife since they do not produce pollen, nectar, or seeds.