the more you know, the more you fall in love

did you know that name echinacea is derived from the greek word ἐχῖνος (ekhinos), meaning “hedgehog”, due to the spiny central disk. i love knowing trivia like this. there are nine distinct species of coneflower, all native to eastern and central north america. pollinators love them. birds love their seeds. gardeners love their showy flowers. and i love them for their name–hedgehog coneflowers.

eastern purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)