Smooth Coneflower

• Previously Used Scientific Names: Echinacea purpurea (Linnaeus)

• Taxon: Plant 

• Range: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia 

• Status: Threatened 

Smooth coneflower is a perennial herb that will live for more than two years. It is not to be confused with its close relative and commercially available purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, both within the Asteraceae/Compositae (aster) family. Echinacea is a group of herbaceous flowering plants with nine species, known as coneflowers for their iconic high dome, or cone-shaped seed head. Smooth coneflower is a sun-loving herb that depends on periodic fires to reduce the shade and competition of woody plants. 

Threats 

• Smooth coneflower is threatened by fire suppression and habitat destruction resulting from highway construction, residential and commercial development, as well as maintenance activities in roadside and utility rights of way.  
• Without fires, the woody plant species create shade and compete for space and nutrients and limit the growth of smooth coneflower. 
• Highway right-of-way maintenance: Herbicide application or mowing from May through September, during flowering and fruiting stages, sets back the plants’ ability to thrive in the wild. 
• Collection/poaching: While some species are collected and sold for medicinal purposes, others are collected for horticultural uses. The Service does not believe overcollection of this species is a danger to populations at this time. Collections used for research are permitted by the Service and are limited to quantities of plant parts that are believed to be insignificant and will not jeopardize any population. 
• Urbanization: Development may reduce available habitat for the plant. 
• Encroachment by invasive species invasive species
  An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
  
  Learn more about invasive species : Invasive plant species encroachment threatens some smooth coneflower populations, especially those located on highway rights of ways or in utility line easements such as power lines. These disturbed habitats often include non-native species, some of which can become invasive. Roadside and powerline right of way sites may be threatened by invasive plants such as: Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneatea), Shrubby lespedeza (Lespedeza bicolor), Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) and Autumn olive (Eleagnus umbellata). 
• A non-native longhorn beetle (Hemierana marginata) was identified at some smooth coneflower populations in North Carolina. This beetle chews into the flowering stem and causes flowers to die before producing viable seeds. 
• Small population size 
• Inadequacy of existing protection afforded by State laws: Smooth coneflower is listed as state endangered in Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. State laws do not prohibit the destruction of populations on private land or otherwise mandate protection. State prohibitions against taking are difficult to enforce and do not cover alterations of habitats due to lack of management. 

Partnerships, research and projects 

North Carolina 

The North Carolina Botanical Garden is the designated Center for Plant Conservation for smooth coneflower. They currently maintain seeds from 37 occurrences for long-term conservation of genetic material to be used for research and reintroduction projects. In addition, they also have several live plants that are used for educational purposes and are conducting experimental reintroductions on land owned by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A small trial of 112 individuals was planted at Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve (near Durham, North Carolina) in 2004. Approximately 75% of the individuals have survived to date and recruitment of new individuals was observed for the first time in 2009, when at least 74 year-one plants were observed. A larger experiment was started at Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve in 2007 to compare the success of introducing one year old plants vs. directly sowing seeds in the field. 

South Carolina 

In South Carolina, the U.S. Forest Service restored a population at a site called Longnose from seed collected from the Pine Mountain site, less than one mile away. 

Georgia 

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia has been propagating smooth coneflower since 1999 for reintroduction onto the Chattahoochee National Forest and for educational gardens at their gardens in Athens, Georgia and at Tallulah Gorge State Park. Two additional education gardens are being planned, one at the USFS Visitor Center in Clayton, Georgia and one at Stephens County, Georgia. Also, the Atlanta Botanical Garden cultivates this plant for educational purposes.