This species of flower is very common in our gardens and parks. I took these photos in the park, and interestingly, this species grows there in two colors, each in different stages of development.

We're talking about a flower called purple coneflower, or colloquially "hedgehog." This flower is phenomenally beautiful, and it's also a popular medicinal plant with a range of health-promoting properties. Purple coneflower has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. Its uses were pioneered by the Native Americans, who used the plant as a general painkiller, for toothaches, sore throats, and inflammation.

The plant proved so interesting that it received the approval of the scientific community and began research. It turned out that, in addition to the medicinal properties mentioned above, the plant also has antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects. This would essentially explain the interest in this remedy among Native Americans.😀

The pharmaceutical industry uses both the herb and the root of this plant, which contain polysaccharides, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and many other substances I'm completely unaware of. Research has also revealed that Echinacea extracts stimulate the production of key components of the immune system, namely immunoglobulins and interferons, which I'm even more unfamiliar with.

But Echinacea also comes in other colors, which doesn't affect its medicinal properties. I also encountered a yellow Echinacea in the park.

The plant reaches a maximum height of approximately 150 cm. The green stem has slightly ovate leaves. It blooms from July to October. Purple coneflower belongs to the Asteraceae family, which is why the inflorescence is shaped like a basket with thorns.

Here's a coneflower looking as if it's already bloomed. Nothing could be further from the truth – it's just starting to bloom. This is exactly what the coneflower looks like when it blooms, but it's not yet known what color the petals will be, as they always start out white or light cream.