How to Identify a Purple Coneflower When Not in Bloom

Purple coneflowers bring soft color to gardens, with lavender petals blooming around brown, central discs. Coneflower is a member of the Echinacea species, which is popularly used by herbalists. Purple coneflowers are in bloom from April to September, but you may need to identify these plants during another time of the year.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Examine the stem of the flower. Even when not in bloom, purple coneflowers will have slender, smooth green stems 2 to 5 feet in height.

2. Notice the placement of the leaves along the stem. Coneflower leaves grow in a scattered pattern up the stem, becoming smaller in size closer to the top of the flower.

3. Examine the leaves, which will grow in an oblong or lance-like shape on purple coneflowers. The leaves will also have three to five veins on each. Purple coneflower leaves grow 3 to 8 inches in length.

4. Look closely at the growing conditions. Purple coneflowers grow in partial shade to full sunlight, in dry soils that drain well.

5. Search for the closed flower bud at the very top of the stem. Purple coneflowers appear singly, one flower for each stem. Only one flower bud will be present on the plant, even if that bud is not blooming.