Pale coneflower is native to North America; commercial cultivation occurs in North America and to a lesser extent in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. The material used medicinally comes from wild sources in the United States.
In herbal medicine, the fresh or dried roots of the plant are used (Echinaceae pallidae radix).
Echinacea: typical characteristics
Pale coneflower is a small perennial plant with short, mostly unbranched stems and basal, narrow, entire-edged leaves. Individual flower heads with pendulous, 4-9 cm long, pink or pale purple ray florets grow on flower stems up to 1 m tall.
The very similar narrow-leaved coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) is also commonly used as a parent plant, but this species is not official in Germany.
Echinacea as a medicinal plant
The root material consists of about 5-10 mm long and irregularly shaped root pieces with red to gray-brown surface with longitudinal furrows. The bark, which is about 1 mm thin, can be seen at the fractures.
Odor and taste of echinacea roots.
The roots give off a somewhat peculiar, faintly aromatic odor. The taste of pale coneflower root is faintly sweet at first and then changes to a faintly bitter taste.
