This Eastern Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) makes for a spectacular “ornamental” type of plant for boxes and plots! I put ornamental in quotation marks because it is far more than a decorative object or flashy looking flower. It is a native perennial that is very popular among our pollinators, and adding them to your garden – wherever it may be – will not only give it a lovely look but also a feeding frenzy of insects. On the day I took this photo I saw Black Swallowtails, Spicebush Swallowtails, Orange and Clouded Sulphurs, Cabbage Whites, a Viceroy, and multitudes of bees visiting them. If your town or city, business or company, friend or family member is looking for something easy to grow, attractive and beneficial to put in a public area like this that needs some life, please consider the Eastern Purple Coneflower!
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
