Echinacea angustifolia, also known as Narrow-leaved Coneflower or Black Samson Echinacea, is a medicinal herbaceous plant species in the Asteraceae family. Native to central North America, it grows to be 40-70 cm tall with rose-purple daisy-like flowers and spindle-shaped taproots that are often branched. Echinacea is one of the world's most important medicinal plants due to its ability to raise the body's resistance to bacterial and viral infections, stimulate the immune system, and relieve allergies. The plant has a general stimulatory effect on the immune system and has been widely used in modern herbal treatments. Echinacea angustifolia was a frequently used Native American herbal remedy with a wide range of applications, now confirmed by modern science. In Germany, over 200 pharmaceutical preparations are made from Echinacea.