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Echinacea angustifolia /ˌɛkɪˈneɪʃə/

Common name: Narrow-leaved coneflower · Narrow-leaf purple coneflower · Black sampson

Echinacea angustifolia is a perennial herb in the aster family (Asteraceae), native to the dry prairies and plains of central North America from Saskatchewan and Manitoba south to Texas. It has narrow, bristly leaves and pink to purple flower heads with short, spreading ray florets around a dark spiny cone, growing from a deep taproot. It is cultivated as a drought-tolerant prairie ornamental and is the species most prized historically and commercially for herbal echinacea preparations.

Fun facts

  • Its deep taproot lets it survive drought and prairie fires, but also makes mature plants difficult to transplant.
  • Plains tribes used it as a remedy for more ailments than any other plant, and it was the echinacea species first adopted by 19th-century "eclectic" physicians.
  • Chewing the root produces a tingling, numbing sensation in the mouth, caused by alkylamide compounds.
  • The epithet "angustifolia" means "narrow-leaved," distinguishing it from the broader-leaved Echinacea purpurea.

Care summary

Sun Full sun
Water Low; very drought-tolerant once established
Soil Dry to medium, well-drained; tolerates rocky or sandy soil
Hardiness Zones 3–8
Mature height About 30–60 cm (1–2 ft)
Pet safe Generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs
Difficulty Easy
Propagation Grow from seed sown in autumn or after a period of cold stratification, germinating in a few weeks in spring. Established clumps can also be divided in early spring or autumn, though the deep taproot resents disturbance, so seed is generally easier.

Make your own Narrow-leaved coneflower · Narrow-leaf purple coneflower · Black sampson profile

Common problems

    • Plant in free-draining soil
    • Avoid heavy mulch over the crown
    • Space plants for good air circulation
    • Water at the base in the morning
    • Hand-pick slugs in the evening
    • Use wildlife-safe barriers around shoots