Narrow-Leafed Coneflower
 

Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea angustifolia var. pallida
 

For years taxonomists have debated about whether these are two species or one.  The morphology of the two species is quite different, with the E. angustifolia appearing shorter, with shorter flower petals, and is found in the dryer regions of the Great Plains (western KS, Nebraska, Dakotas, etc.).  E. pallida is much taller, with a generally larger root, long drooping petals, and tends to be found in the wetter regions of the Great Plains, including eastern, and particularly south-eastern KS.  The chemical markers in the two species also provide some distinguishing characteristics, with the E. angustifolia having more isobutylamide, the tongue-numbing component that is often used to distinguish this root.  However, other compounds in the plant appear to be responsible for the medicinal qualities, including polysaccharides.  Currently, taxonomists have named E. pallida a sub-species of E. angustifolia (as written above), but these will be abbreviated in this fact sheet as if they were two species.

Family:  Asteraceae
Life cycle:  Herbaceous perennial
Native:  Great Plains, North America
Height:  2 feet for E. angustifolia, 2-4 feet for E. pallida.
Sun:  Full sun
Soil:  Any soil, can survive on poor soil.
Water:  Low to moderate.
Flowering:  Pink/purple flowers bloom from mid to late summer.
Propagation:  Seed MUST be stratified between 1 and 3 months to
germinate, or sow outdoors in the fall or winter for natural stratification  Germination is very erratic and can take several weeks. Germination rates will vary greatly, and are usually less than 50%. E. angustifolia seed in particular has a light requirement to germinate, and  should not be covered with soil.
Harvesting:  Roots are harvested in the fall or spring of the 2^nd or 3^rd year.  These are both taprooted species, are fairly easy to harvest, at least the top 6 to 12 inches.  However, it is difficult to get the entire root.  In some cases, root remnants can resprout, so don’t abandon the field right away.   Use needle nose spade to dig roots, or special “digging tool” that resembles a flattened crow-bar.  A chisel plot or lister can also be used to loosen and expose roots, which are then picked up by hand and washed, either with a power sprayer or root washer.  Occasionally the tops of these plants are marketed, but most of the market is for the roots or seed crop.  If harvesting seed, keep other species of Echinacea at least ½ mile away, to avoid cross pollination. In Kansas, these species are often harvested in the wild.  In years of high prices, this species can be overharvested.  However, the species is also in danger of becoming a rare plant from the use of broad-leaved herbicides used in pastures, and overgrazing.  A sustainable harvest has been estimated as about 5% of the adult plants, with the rest left to re-seed.  Even better, don’t harvest from the wild at all, but grow this crop as a cultivated species. 
Parts used:  Primarily the root, fresh or dried.
Used as:  Infusion, decoction, tincture, syrup, compress, poultice, elixir, lozenge, ointment, salve, cream.  Root can also be simply chewed, fresh or dry.
Medicinal benefits:  Echinacea pallida has been approved for use by European physicians for use against fevers and colds.  E. angustifolia is more in demand however, has been more extensively used historically, but ironically, much of the research done on Echinacea in Europe prior to 1988 was done on E. pallida, which had been mis-identified as E. angustifolia.  All three species (E. angustifolia, E. pallida, and E. purpurea) are generally accepted as having immune system stimulating and wound-healing properties.  Some of the more rare Echinacea species (such as E. paradoxa, E. atrorubens, or E. tennesseensis) may also share these traits, but have not been researched yet.
Market potential:  Moderate to very high.  Root price is $20.00 - 99.99 per lb dw for E. angustifolia, and $14.00 - 22.47 per lb dw for E. pallida.  Echinacea is one of the top selling herbs in the U.S., but the supply side of the market is becoming very competitive, with large players entering the market.

KSU Field Trial Data - 2000-2002.  

Summary of Field Trial Data:   Though the market sometimes pays a premium price for E. angustifolia, and there appear to be fewer buyers and less name recognition for E. pallida (only two of the 9 retailers in Appendix B. listed it), from our field data, we cannot recommend planting, or at least transplanting E. angustifolia at this time.  Survival was poor, at 53% the first year (as compared to 86% for E. pallida), and only 30% survival by year 3, as compared to 54% for E. pallida.  Yields were also low, at 23 g/root dw in year three for E. angustifolia, as compared to 60 g/root dw for E. pallida, and 59 g/root dw for E. purpurea.

 We have been told that E. angustifolia prefers high pH soils, and well drained, even stony sites.  All of our sites have neutral to high pH, and all soils were reasonably well drained.  Because it is taprooted, it could be one of those plants that suffers from transplant shock, and just never fully recovers.  In discussions with colleagues from western KS and from North Dakota, we are also getting the impression that one of the reasons those areas report larger plants than the ones we dug from our plots is not just due to optimal pH and drainage, but also cooler night temperatures on the high plains.

 In two observations not included in these data sets, strips of plots were broadcast seeded at Olathe and Wichita at the experiment fields in January of 2001.  Preliminary data suggests that if seed germination is successful, and weeds are moderately under control, yields from direct seeding may equal, or even exceed yields from transplanted, weeded, and coddled plots.  Farmer experience with direct seeding is that germination can be successful, but controlling weeds is difficult to impossible, as this species does not compete well with weeds.  Future research will address some of these questions, but for now, we recommend that growers only try E. angustifolia on a small scale, though E. pallida and E. purpurea show some promise, if the price can justify the harvest/labor costs.