In most years, a coneflower plant produces zero flowering heads or one head. Individual plants live for many years. Full size. Photo courtesy of Stuart Wagenius.
Lighting a prescribed prairie fire. Full size. Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy.After a burn, an Echinacea plant sometimes produces many heads. Full size. Photo courtesy of Stuart Wagenius.
A The Nature Conservancy crewmember manages prescribed fire. Full size. Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy.In most years, flowering Echinacea plants are not well pollinated and produce few seeds. However, right after a prescribed burn, plants flower, get well pollinated, and produce many seeds. Full size. Photo courtesy of Gretel Kiefer.
A prescribed fire sweeps across a prairie preserve. Full size. Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy.The narrow-leaved purple coneflower, Echinacea angustifolia, blooms vigorously after a prairie fire. Full size. Photo courtesy of Stuart Wagenius.Trained firefighters light a burn break. Full size. Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy.Researchers map locations of many individual Echinacea plants to assess their mating opportunities. Full size. Photo courtesy of Stuart Wagenius.
A fire consumes dead vegetation. Long-lived perennial plants sprout each spring from roots. The prarie flourishes. Full size. Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy.After a fire, many prairie plants flower. Full size. Photo courtesy of Gretel Kiefer.
