Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
📖 About this plant
A beloved native perennial producing large, distinctive daisy-like flowers with prominent spiny central cones surrounded by drooping purple-pink petals. Coneflowers bloom from midsummer through fall, attracting butterflies, bees, and goldfinches (which relish the seeds). Extremely drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, and long-lived, they are a cornerstone of the prairie-style and pollinator gardens.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (6-8 hrs)
Every 1-2 weeks
Moderate (40-60%)
15-30°C
Well-draining loam or sandy soil; tolerates clay and poor soil; pH 6.0-7.0. Drought-tolerant once established
Very light feeder; a thin layer of compost in spring is usually sufficient; avoid heavy fertilizing which reduces flower production and makes plants floppy
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- North America (central and eastern United States)
- 📏 Max height
- 60-120 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 30-60 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer - Fall
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Purple, Pink, White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to humans and pets; all parts safe. Echinacea is widely used in herbal medicine for immune support. Some people may have allergic reactions
- 🌱 Propagation
- Direct sow seeds in fall or early spring (requires cold stratification for 30 days for best germination); divide clumps every 3-4 years in spring or fall; basal cuttings in spring
🛡️ Health & Safety
Non-toxic to humans and pets; all parts safe. Echinacea is widely used in herbal medicine for immune support. Some people may have allergic reactions
Common issues
- Aster yellows disease causing green
- distorted flowers
- Japanese beetle defoliation
- Powdery mildew in humid conditions
- Self-seeding aggressively in ideal conditions
💡 Care tips
- Tough native perennial that tolerates drought and poor soil
- Cone-shaped seed heads attract goldfinches in fall
- Divide clumps every 3-4 years in early spring
- Deer-resistant and rarely bothered by pests or diseases
