This purple coneflower is a coarse, hairy, native perennial found primarily on dolomite glades and slopes in Ozark region. It is similar to the more wide-spread Pale-Purple Coneflower, except for the pollen color is yellow on Glade Coneflower and white on Pale Purple Coneflower. Also Glade Coneflower's petals are stiffer than those of Pale Purple Coneflower. Flowers appear on rigid stems to three feet tall over a long summer bloom. Best flower display is in late June to late July, with sporadic continued bloom into autumn. Good fresh cut or dried flower. The dead flower stems will remain erect well into the winter and, if flower heads are not removed, are often visited by goldfinches who perch on or just below the blackened cones to feed on the seeds.