Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic)
Echinacea purpurea with a duskywing. Photographs © Mary Free from Creating Inviting Habitats – Publications and Educational Resources
Purple Coneflower has a rich history of medicinal use that has resulted in its over harvesting and decline in its natural habitat, centered in Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. The few established populations in Virginia and Pennsylvania appear to be escapes from cultivation. So many beneficial insects (and goldfinches) flock to it though, one thinks of Echinacea as native. In any case, its attributes make it a “must-have” for a sunny garden.
