PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
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Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

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Photo by Thomas Meyer

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida), a Wisconsin Threatened plant, is found in prairies and prairie remnants along roadsides and railroads. Blooming occurs early-June through late-July, fruiting early-July through late-August. The optimal identification period for this species is early-June through early-August.

 
 
 
Identification

Pale purple coneflower is an erect forb, 1m tall, with a single showy flower head at the top of each stem, with many drooping, pale purple, petal-like ray flowers, each up to 3.5" long. The purplish-brown disks are broad and cone-shaped. Fruit are tan or bicolored cypselae, 2.5-5mm, with more or less smooth, usually glabrous faces. Leaves have a rough-surface, are up to 10" long and 1.5" wide, taper at either end, and have several parallel veins running along their lengths. Basal leaves are on long stalks, stem leaves are few and usually lack long stalks. It has coarse, bristly hairs on the stout stems and leaves.

It is distinguished from Echinacea angustifolia by its overall size, larger ray flowers, and white (not yellow) pollen.

Phenology and Reproduction

Blooming occurs early-June through late-July, fruiting early-July through late-August.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is early-June through early-August.

Ecology and Associated Species

Associated species include Amorpha canescens, Andropogon gerardii, A scoparius, Coreopsis palmata, Eryngium yuccifolium, Potentilla arguta, Silphium species, Ratibida pinnata, Stipa spartea, Phlox pilosa, and Asclepias hirtella.

Habitat

Pale purple coneflower is found in dry, dry-mesic, and mesic prairies and prairie remnants along roadsides and railroads.

Avoidance Measures and Management Guidance

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Prescribed burns and/or brushing may be beneficial, dependent on local site conditions and burn frequency. Rotational burns with annual unburned refugia may be preferred.

Maintain and restore open habitat through selective clearing and brushing.

Wildlife Action Plan

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.

For more information, contact

Kevin Doyle
Conservation Biologist
tel:+1-608-416-3377