Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower - this perennial flower can grow to be about 3' tall. It prefers well drained soils in full sun. It's purple flowers bloom from June through August attracting and supporting a wide range of pollinating insects. Birds consume the seeds in the colder months. Some people use the leaves and roots of this plant to make a tea.
 
Native to the mountains of NC. Click to view its range in North Carolina.
 
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