(Echinacea purpurea)
A hardy, upright herbaceous perennial (2–5 ft tall) featuring daisy-like flowers with drooping magenta-purple petals and a prominent, spiny, bronze-orange central cone.
ZONE: 3-9
POLLINATOR: Yes
DEER RESISTANT: Yes
DROUGHT TOLERANT: Yes "highly" once established
EVERGREEN: No
SPREADS BY SEED: Yes
NEEDS A CROSS POLLINATOR: Wind pollinated
AGE OF PLANT: Estimated 2yrs old (current stock)
MATURE HEIGHT: 2-4ft tall & 2ft wide
ECHINACEA CONE FLOWER
PLANTING & GROWING
Full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil during spring or fall. Space plants 1–3 feet apart, placing them in a hole twice as wide as the root ball. Do not overwater.
MEDICINAL BENEFITS
- Echinacea is most commonly used to treat or prevent upper respiratory infections, potentially shortening the duration of colds by 1–2 days.
- It stimulates immune cells, enhancing the body’s non-specific defenses against infections
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.It is used to relieve symptoms like coughs, sore throats, and bronchitis
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
FLAVOR & PAIRING
Echinacea (coneflower) tea has an earthy, slightly bitter, and floral flavor, often with a numbing, tingling sensation. It pairs best with sweet and tangy flavors like honey, lemon, ginger, elderberry, peppermint, and lemongrass. In gardens, echinacea thrives with sun-loving companions like black-eyed Susans, lavender, salvia, and ornamental grasses.
I personally like to dry the flowers, blend into a powder and bake in cookies.
As all parts of the plant—petals, leaves, and roots—are edible you can get creative.
COMPANION PLANTING
Plant taller companions like Joe Pye Weed or ornamental grasses behind echinacea, with shorter plants like nepita or sedum in front.