Pale Purple Coneflower blooms in early summer when few other sun loving plants are in bloom, proving nectar for hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, the leaves also provide food for the Ottoe-skipper larva. In late summer the large seedheads attract goldfinches and other birds.

Many long-tongued bees will visit Pale Purple Coneflowers including, bumblebees, Nomadine cuckoo bees, large carpenter bees, and leaf-cutting bees. Short-tongued green metallic bees and other bees also visit the flowers occasionally. The caterpillars of Silvery Checkerspot feed on the foliage, while caterpillars of the moths Wavy-Lined Emerald and Common Eupithecia feed on the flowerheads.

Pale Purple Coneflower reaches about 3 feet and has very pale purple to pink daisy-like flowers with drooping petals. The blooming period occurs during early summer and lasts for about 3 weeks. Planting it along side its cousin, Purple Coneflower which begins blooming at the tail end of the Pale Purple Coneflower’s bloom cycle will give you many more weeks of coneflower blooms. Clumps can be divided when they become overcrowded which will usually take 3 to 4 years.