‘Prairie Splendor’ is a compact coneflower that features bright rose-magenta rays surrounding a dark orange center cone. It typically grows in a clump to 24" tall and as wide. Flowers bloom from late spring (two weeks earlier than most echinaceas) to late summer, sometimes with additional sporadic bloom until frost. Each flower (to 4-5" diameter) features downward-arching rose-magenta rays. Dark green leaves are lanceolate to narrow-ovate. European Fleuroselect 2007 Gold Medal winner. Freely self-seeds if at least some of the seed heads are left in place.

Noteworthy 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.

Specific epithet means purple.

‘Prairie Splendor’ is a compact coneflower that features bright rose-magenta rays surrounding a dark orange center cone. It typically grows in a clump to 24" tall and as wide. Flowers bloom from late spring (two weeks earlier than most echinaceas) to late summer, sometimes with additional sporadic bloom until frost. Each flower (to 4-5" diameter) features downward-arching rose-magenta rays. Dark green leaves are lanceolate to narrow-ovate. European Fleuroselect 2007 Gold Medal winner.

Garden Uses

Excellent, long-blooming flower for massing in the border, meadow, native plant garden, naturalized area, wildflower garden or part shade area of woodland garden. Often massed with black-eyed Susans (rudbeckias).