Showy clumps of light lavender flowers on long 2 foot stems, excellent for cutting, attracts butterflies. E. pallida has very slender pale lavender flower petals that are extremely recurved from the central disc. The petals hang away from the flower at a much greater angle than most of the other echinaceas. E. pallida is one of the primary medicinal echinaceas used today. It is very easy to grow, so long as you give it a very well drained soil, and average summer water. It is native to the prairies of Missouri.
Grow in full sun or a little afternoon shade, in fairly rich, loose soil. Plants are usually grown for 3 years before being harvested for medicinal use. In the spring they are susceptible to snail and slug damage, and gophers also like them very much.
Echinacea attracts butterflies and beneficial insects. In the fall, their large seed is attractive to small birds.