Echinacea: Planting, Care and Garden Varieties

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Echinacea, or purple coneflower, brightens the garden from July to autumn with large pink-purple daisies around a domed orange-brown centre. It is drought-tolerant, attracts butterflies and bees, and modern varieties come in white, yellow, orange, red and even green. Here is how to plant, care for and propagate echinacea.

What is echinacea

Echinacea is a genus of perennials in the daisy family from the North American prairies. The most common in gardens is purple coneflower (E. purpurea), 60–120 cm tall. The name comes from the Greek for hedgehog: the centre is covered in stiff, spiny scales. It flowers from July to September, and the seed heads decorate the garden and feed birds in winter.

Popular varieties

• 'Magnus' — classic pink-purple with broad petals.
• 'White Swan' — white with an orange cone.
• 'Green Envy' — greenish with a pink flush in the centre.
• 'Tomato Soup' — rich red.
• Sombrero series — compact, in yellow, orange and coral.
• 'Razzmatazz' — double with a pompon centre.

Planting and growing from seed

• Position: full sun; in shade it gets leggy and flowers poorly.
• Soil: any well-drained garden soil; it tolerates drought but not waterlogging.
• Timing: spring or early autumn, 30–45 cm apart.
• From seed: cold-stratify seed in the fridge for 1–2 months, sow indoors in March; plants usually flower in their second year. Hybrids do not come true from seed.

Care and propagation

Water established plants only in prolonged drought. Add compost in spring; too much nitrogen makes stems floppy. Deadhead to prolong flowering or leave seed heads for birds and winter interest. Divide clumps every 4–5 years in spring. Echinacea pairs well with rudbeckia, grasses and salvia in naturalistic plantings — see flowers that bloom all summer and a bed that blooms all season.

View full-size photoEchinacea varieties attract pollinators in the garden.

Echinacea in bouquets and herbal use

Cut echinacea lasts 7–10 days in a vase and brings a natural summer feel to bouquets; dried heads are used in everlasting arrangements. Echinacea has a long history in herbal medicine, but any preparations should only be taken after consulting a doctor. The full A–Z of flowers is in types of flowers.

FAQ

When does echinacea flower?

From July to September, sometimes longer if deadheaded.

Does echinacea need winter protection?

No, it is hardy; just avoid waterlogging in winter and spring.

Why has my seed-grown echinacea not flowered?

That is normal — seedlings usually flower in their second year.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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