Tennessee Coneflower Echinacea tennesseensis
- Phonetic Spelling
- eh-ki-NAY-see-ah ten-neh-see-EN-sis
- Description
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Tennesse Coneflower is a relatively slow-growing herbaceous perennial is in the Asteraceae family. It is only found in an area around Nashville and was once on the endangered list but has since been removed. "Echinacea" is derived from the Greek word echinos which means sea-urchin or hedgehog, referring to the pointy cone found in the center of flowers in this genus.
Stems are topped with erect pink-purple ray flowers (many Echinacea's ray flowers bend backward) and bright orange disk cones from June to August. It will cross-pollinate with other Echinaceas. If you want to harvest and grow plants from seed it has to be planted several miles away from other Coneflowers plants as they will crossbreed and will not grow true to type.
Tennesse Coneflower will grow in average moist to dry soils in full sun to part shade. Mass plant this perennial in a border, or let it naturalize in a meadow, or in a woodland garden. Pollinators will visit the flowers and finches will eat the seeds.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Japanese beetles are occasional pests. Leaf spot occurs rarely.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- ‘Rocky top’
Compact form to 30 inches
- ‘Rocky top’
- ‘Rocky top’
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- ‘Rocky top’
Compact form to 30 inches
- ‘Rocky top’
- ‘Rocky top’
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Echinacea
- Species:
- tennesseensis
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tennessee
- Distribution:
- Tennesse
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata) larvae. Flowers attract birds and butterflies. Finches will eat the seeds.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Cream/Tan
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Brown to tan achenes in summer to fall
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Orange
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Good Dried
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- more than 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Bright purple ray florets with a pointy cone of orange disk flowers in the center in summer.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Rosulate
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- It has hairy dark green lanceolate to linear leaves that form a basal whorl at the base and are 2-4.5 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Stem leaves are smaller, sparser and alternate up the stem
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Yellow-green to light green, round, hairy stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
