Purple Coneflower Production Offers Multiple Revenue Streams

University of Minnesota Extension reported on research into the production of purple coneflower as a perennial crop. In the post “Phytochemicals, seed and forage from purple coneflower,” researchers note the medicinal uses of purple coneflower but say the plant also has value for the ecosystem services it provides, such as pollinator habitat, carbon sequestration, and soil stabilization. They explain that the plant can offer revenue streams from phytochemicals, seed, and biomass, and that research trials indicate that its production of these remains strong when the plant is grown as part of a diverse native polyculture.