Echinacea pallida

This is the only species in the genus with white pollen. Basal leaves 100-350 mm long, 10-40mm wide and cauline leaves 100-250 mm long, petiolate below to sessile above.

Pale Echinacea prefers dry, sandy to clay soils with a pH of 4.5-7.5. The only Louisiana prairie remnant on which it was known to grow has a fertile loam soil. Seed is the best method of propagation and can be collected 4 - 5 weeks after flowering (October - November). The heads can be collected and placed in paper bags and dried. The seed can be separated by shaking and screening. Store dry and cool (40 F). There are 80,000 seed/lb and the recommended plating rate is 24 lbs/acre. The seed may be sown fresh or in fall to late winter. Stratification at 33-44 F for 30 - 90 days increases germination ( Phillips 1985, Steffen 1997). Rapid increase is effected by division or root cuttings taken in late winter or spring. The crowns may be divided at the same time of year and produce 2-5 divisions.

Desirable to cattle as forage. Attracts hummingbirds, ottoe skippers, red admiral, and painted lady butterflies. Many birds eat the nutlets including gold-finches.

Long-lived perennial with garden merit. Members of this genus are being harvested from the wild for sale to drug companies, threatening these rare plants.

Prairies, woodlands, roadsides, dry open rocky sites.