Tennessee Coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis)
[eh-kih-NAY-shah ten-ess-ee-EN-sis]

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming in the Asteraceae Family
 
Buy Tennessee Coneflower
Size Notes Price Availability
#1 gallon Field $16.31 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4

Tennessee Coneflower is a rare native species restricted to limestone cedar glades in Middle Tennessee -- rocky, harsh openings where thin soil keeps trees from taking over. Thought extinct until its 1968 rediscovery, it became the first Tennessee-endemic plant protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1979, and was delisted in 2011 after decades of conservation work by The Nature Conservancy and the state of Tennessee -- a genuine recovery success story. It's a compact species (18-24in) with purple rays around a coppery-orange center cone.

Pros

  • A genuine conservation success story -- recovered enough to be delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act in 2011
  • Compact habit, smaller than purpurea
  • Distinctive origin story and conservation history to share with customers

Cons

  • Still naturally uncommon and less widely available in commerce than purpurea or modern cultivars
  • Less vigorous than other Echinacea species -- can get crowded out if planted alongside them
  • Growing it near other Echinacea species/cultivars risks cross-pollination, which matters if seed purity is a goal
Why Like A true wild species with a remarkable conservation story -- rediscovered after being thought extinct, protected as the first Tennessee-endemic plant on the Endangered Species List, and delisted in 2011 after a successful recovery. A meaningful choice for anyone who values native-plant conservation history.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 18 - 24 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Growth Rate Medium
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 5a - 6b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Extended Bloom Time, Formal Garden, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Beginners, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Rain Garden, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Medium, Most Popular, Native to North America, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Popular For Fall, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Winter Interest
Bloom Period June to August
Flower Color Purple Rays And Coppery-Orange Center Cones
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2023 : 09/07 - 09/10


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!