Echinacea In July

Echinacea purpurea, or the common name, Purple Coneflower, is blooming right now. An herbaceous, perennial that is native to eastern North America. Though common in gardens, this species is fairly uncommon in the wild.

Pollinators of Echinacea are bees, butterflies and skippers. In the autumn, leave the seedheads and you’ll be rewarded by Goldfinches coming by to eat the seeds.

The butterfly enjoying the Echinacea in this picture is a Great Spangled Fritillary.

Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.