Echinacea purpurea Fragrant Angel - Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Fragrant Angel' is one of the first varieties of Echinacea purpurea with truly fragrant flowering. Its flowers of a rather exceptional size resemble those of daisies with their double white collar widely offered to the eye surrounding a prominent heart tinged with orange, bronze, and olive green. They bloom abundantly throughout the summer, on a vigorous and well-branched plant that generally does not require staking. It is also a very resistant perennial plant that adapts to difficult conditions, occasionally tolerating intense heat, humidity, and drought. Plant it in flower beds, borders, slightly wild areas of the garden, or in a meadow. Also create perfumed bouquets with its superb flowers! 

Native to the western United States, from Georgia to Michigan through Oklahoma and Ohio, the Purple Coneflower is a perennial with a strong character, which does not resemble anything known, but confidently colonizes rocky prairies, savannas, clear understories, and road edges in its natural habitat.

'Fragrant Angel' is a recent selection of this intrepid pioneer. It has a dense and branching habit, reaching 80 to 90cm (32 to 35in) in height and 45-50cm (18-20in) in width. This plant does not weaken, does not collapse, showing good resistance to bad weather. The deciduous, opposite, lanceolate, and green leaves are covered in rough hairs. Flowering occurs from July to September, accompanying all the flowers of summer; it is very visited by butterflies. The branching, olive-green stems are topped with solitary heads measuring 10 to 12cm (4 to 5in) in diameter, with a large and prominent central disc, initially olive green then orange to bronze or brown, and numerous pure white, almost horizontal ligules. The fruit is an achene releasing seeds that birds are fond of. This plant anchors itself firmly and deeply in the soil, with its well-developed root system.

'Fragrant Angel' Echinacea, with its incredible flowering, will find its place in all cottage-style flower beds, flowery meadows, or herb gardens. It blends well with yarrows, small daisies ('Engelina', 'Silver Princess'), thistles like Echinops or Eryngium. Lighten the scene by mixing it with Perovskia, Baptisia, some ornamental grasses like Stipa tenuifolia, Muhlenbergia capillaris, Pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose'... Its association with Black-eyed Susans (Thunbergia alata) is surprising. Splendid in flower beds, the beautiful purple coneflower flowers are also very beautiful in fresh or dried flower arrangements.

Properties: In homeopathy, its root is used to fight against colds and to strengthen the immune system. These properties were already used by Native Americans. The name Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos, which means "hedgehog-like" or "like a hedgehog," and acea for "having the shape of," alluding to the hearts of the flowers. Purpurea means "purple."