Many varieties of the purple coneflowers are available. These include outstanding ones, such as Bravado and Bright Star. All types of the purple coneflowers are suitable for pollinator gardens.


Bravado Purple Coneflower

Recommended for zones three through nine, Bravado purple coneflower is tolerant of heat. The uniform plants reach three to four feet in height. These should be spaced two feet apart or so.

Grown from seed, Bravado plants will bloom the very first year if the seeds are started early indoors. The lovely blossoms are great for both cut and dried flowers.

Very free flowering, this plant bears very large blooms, up to 4½ inches wide. The petals are wider than those of most purple coneflowers, and slightly droop as they age. These are rose colored with maroon centers.


Bright Star Purple Coneflower

Hardy to zone three, this variety has performed well in all areas of the country. These seed grown plants can show some slight variability for that reason.

Suited to full sun and part sun, Bright Star purple coneflower is a little over two feet to three feet in height and about half as wide.

The floriferous plant begins blooming in July or August, and continues into fall. The single, daisy-like blooms are rosy red to pinkish-lavender.


Butterfly Kisses Purple Coneflower

Part of the Cone-fections series, this was bred by Dutch plantsman Arie Blom. A free flowering plant, Butterfly Kisses is recommended for zones four through nine. These plants are ideal for growing in containers.

The vigorous, compact, well branched plants have dark, healthy green foliage. Butterfly Kisses reaches 1½ feet in height. It bears strong stems.

The large, pom-pom type, double blooms are very fluffy looking. These sweetly scented beauties begin appearing in June and extend into August.

The petals open green, and later turn vivid pink, and finally matures to a lovely gold as the weeks pass. The centers are a beautiful rosy pink.


Butterfly Rainbow Marcella Purple Coneflower

This variety does best in zones five through nine. The sturdy, compact plants are 1½ to two feet in height with a matching spread. Butterfly Rainbow Marcella is named for an Andean butterfly called the Marcella. The colors seen in the flowers match those of the butterfly. Blossoms appear from summer into early autumn.

Initially, the petals are a soft peach-toned orange, and later become the bright orange seen in tangerines, and finally mature to a lavender-rose or dark mauve.