Purple coneflower

© Photo: Malinda Welte; Stephen Ewen
Echinacea Purpea, a.k.a. coneflower. Its name is derived from the Greek echinos, meaning "hedgehog", due to resemblance of the central part of the flowering head to the spines of a coiled hedgehog, superimposed.

A female American goldfinch eating the seeds from a purple coneflower seed pod.

Echinacea Purpea, a.k.a. purple coneflower is one of nine Echinacea species. It is native to central and eastern North America.

American goldfinches are uniquely adapted to eat the seeds of purple coneflowers and will often fly in during late summer to feast on the pods before continuing their migration southwards.