Coneflowers, also known as Echinacea, are tough little native flowers that draw butterflies, bees, and birds to the garden! Here’s how to grow this American native—and important tips on plant care, from deadheading to cutting back in June.
About Coneflowers
Bright, upright plants, coneflowers are a North American perennial in the Daisy family (Asteraceae). Specifically, the plant is native to the eastern United States, from Iowa and Ohio south to Louisiana and Georgia. They grow 2 to 4 feet in height with dark green foliage. They are fast growers and self-sow their seeds profusely. These midsummer bloomers can flower from midsummer through fall frost!
Their genus name Echinacea comes from the Latin name for hedgehog, echinus, referring to the often prickly lower stem of the plant. Coneflowers have raised cone-like centers (hence, their name) which contain seeds that attract butterflies. Leave the seed heads after bloom and you’ll also attract songbirds such as goldfinches!
Trouble-free coneflowers are drought-tolerant once established. They can take the heat! As native plants with prickly stems, they are more deer-resistant than most flowering plants, too.
The most common species available to gardeners is Echinacea purpurea, the purple coneflower. If purple doesn’t pair well with your garden’s color palette, don’t fret: coneflowers can be found in a range of bright or subdued colors.
Coneflowers are at home in a traditional garden or a wildflower meadow; they are striking when planted in masses, especially as a mix of various colors.
Reader Comments
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Rabbits
The rabbits decimated most of my coneflowers last year.
DISSAPEARING PLANTS
I'm stumped. Over the course of two years I planted 7 or 8 various echinacea. They came up, flourished and even self seeded for a year or two and then, for no apparent reason, two years ago not a single plant came up. A few of these were pretty healthy, large specimens. The care they received was always consistent and I never use herbicides or insecticides near them. Have UFO's invaded my garden and carried them away?
echinacea in the greenhouse
I have a 30 x 60 greenhouse. I purchased a tray of echinacea plugs from a reputable company, and they were beautiful. I potted them each into 4 " pots of sterile potting mix. I also added just a very small sprinkle of timed release fertilizer.. They sseemed fine for 2 weeks. I did fertilize my entire greenhouse with miracle grow liqua fertilizer with an injector a week ago. It is very warm in the ghse when the sun is shining. Today I notice that the leaves on the plants are turning brown and crisping. The centers of the plants look fine. Too wet? too dry? Too hot? to much Fertilizer? Or too much salt in my well water? Nothing else in the ghse is affected like they are..
Coneflowers
Your article states that coneflowers are deer resistant. The deer here in Connecticut must not know that because the love the new buds!
Coneflowers' deer-resistance
Hi Nancy, When it comes to deer, they’ll eat anything if they’re desperate enough and lacking in habitat. Coneflowers are rated as “Seldom Severely Damaged.” There are some plants that are more deer-resistant (“Rarely Damaged”) and many many plant that are occasionally, frequently, and/or severed damaged. For perennial plants that are rarely damaged, consider Russian Sage, Allium, Iris, False Indigo, Bleeding Heart, and Forget-Me-Not.
coneflower/herbicide
I bought echinacea transplants in the spring and planted them in large pots, along with a tomato and a zucchini. After my neighbor sprayed Roundup in his yard I didn't get any female blossoms on zucchini and cucumbers. My strawberries and tomatoes stopped producing. Strawberry leaves still look healthy, but tomatoes leaves are slowly dying. Now, months later I'm thinking the echinacea was affected because there are no blooms, just healthy looking leaves. Do you think the echinacea (and strawberry plants will be ok, and safe to ingest if they come back next year? Or, do I have to pull entire plants?
What to do about Round Up
A University of California expert suggests this: Round Up can linger for a while, maybe even longer than a month especially in a sandy soil in which it is not adsorbed to fine soil particles as it would in a clay. The solution to this predicament, and indeed in all cases of Round Up toxicity, is to let the plant grow out of it.
A U of Michigan Coop Extension source is more cautious; read here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/be_careful_using_round_up_and_other_glyphosate_herbicides
Then there is the old adage, when in doubt, don’t. Maybe you can talk to your neighbor and come to some agreement about how/when he applies it … or you can share your health concerns about both of you.
Coneflower color
Planted an orange coneflower this year. When planted, the original flowers were bright orange-red. The new flowers on the plant are a pale pinkish color. In addition, the plant seems to be short, 8 to 10 inches and the interior of the plant seems to be wilting. Are these factors due to not enough sun? The plant is not planted in full sun, but does get some morning and late afternoon sun.
Sun
We can’t make plants do what we want. If a plant likes and needs full sun, we need to give it full sun (see above). If we short change it, it will fail.
Aster Yellows
My coneflowers are infected with Aster Yellows and will probably all need to be thrown out in the Fall. I don't want to use insecticides. How long before I can safely plant them again?
Aster yellows
Something about that name, aster yellows, is appealing but in fact it is no fun. Aster yellows is a chronic, systemic disease that affects over 300 species in 38 families of broad-leaf, herbaceous plants. There is no cure. Victim and vulnerable plants should be removed and not planted there … again. Plant instead herbaceous plants (e.g., geraniums and impatiens) and woody ornamentals, which are not susceptible to aster yellows.
For the record, members of the aster family (Asteraceae), such as asters, marigolds, Coreopsis, and purple coneflower are commonly affected by this disease.
Vegetable crops such as carrots and potatoes are also susceptible. Aster yellows occurs throughout North America. (With thanks to Wisconsin Master Gardeners)
Coneflowers and Goldfinches
Just wanted to report that Goldfinches will spend a very long time on flower seed heads. We have Purple coneflowers planted outside our bedroom window at the Chesapeake Bay and in the fall I start my day by checking to see if there are any goldfinches eating outside my bedroom window. Great way to start the day.
Curvy stems on Coneflower
My echinacea now in their 3rd year are sprouting with twisted curvy stems. What could cause this? I have them in bright well drained location
Echinacea
We’re stumped. If the leaves are twisted, that’s often a sign of herbicide damage; have any chemicals gotten near these plants or drifted over?
Otherwise, distortion is usually due to Aster yellows but that’s usually later in the season and very noticable because of yellowed petals and leaves. Use an insecticide labeled for use on the aster leafhopper to prevent the disease. Your county cooperative extension can advise you as to the best one to use in your area and the correct timing of the application
coneflower transplant
Late last summer, I bought two stunning coneflowers and planted them. They did very well throughout the fall. This spring, I was rethinking their location and attempted to dig them up to move them, but found no evidence of the plants even though I dug in the exact spot where they were planted. I have many other coneflowers that survive through our Michigan winters so I was surprised to find nothing. Are some coneflowers not as hardy as others for our zone?
disappearing coneflowers
This seems to be an increasingly common problem, with an increasingly hard to find explanation. One reason that some echinacea thrive and others fail to thrive could be that one is native and the other, respectively, is a hybrid. Contact the source from which you got the plant and ask what he/she thinks…and if he/she will replace the plant.
When to plant echinacea?
I live in Arkansas. Wasn't sure when to plant them. Thank you for this fabulous information....
planting coneflowers
It’s best to plant Coneflowers (Echinacea) by seed. Seeds can be started outdoors in the spring or summer, up to 2 months before frost. Keep in mind that Echinacea started from seed can take 2 or more years to develop into a sizable plant.
Coneflower seeds
I have read that I could plant coneflower seeds in the fall and they will bloom in the spring. I’m finding differing opinions on this. I have the seeds and I’d love to put them in the ground can you please tell me if I can do this and how?
Coneflower Seeds
Yes, you should plant coneflower seeds in the fall, covering them with approximately ¼-inch of soil. Seedlings will emerge in the spring, though the plants may not bloom in the next season. They may need a summer to get established, then should bloom in the subsequent summer.
Coneflower
It is heading towards the end of July and all of my coneflowers appear to be dead should I cut them back
coneflowers
same question please!
Coneflowers
Please see the Care section, above, for information on deadheading coneflowers.
What's eating all the petals!?
As soon as one of my cone flowers blooms, the petals are gone the next day! What's happening and how can I protect those pretty purple booms? Thanks for your help.
Coneflowers
My coneflowers self-seed regularly and where I had only one, now there are multiple places in the flower bed with lovely blooms that attract butterflies and bees. In fact, I have taken the seed pods and spread the seeds around manually to encourage more plants. Love these flowers as they are hardy, long lasting, and very sturdy.
coneflower
what type of coneflowers do you have? I've been wanting to plant some in my garden but not sure which to plant, do all coneflowers attract bees and butterflies?
Color change from yellow to bright orange?
I’ve had an echinacea passed along from a friend for well over 5 years. It is happy and healthy. It had pale yellow, almost white blooms, and would not have been a new hybrid since who knows how long my friend had it before she gave me a start. This year the blooms start yellow and turn bright orange. Doesn’t sound like a hybrid going back to the old purple, what could be going on?
Planting in September
Can coneflowers still be planted this time of year and all the blooms are gone? My local nursery has coneflowers on sale for 50% off. I live in Columbus, Ohio.
Plant in fall??
Sure, try it! It’s still relatively early in season, and bargain plants can be a good way to increase your stock. Check them over closely; pick the healthiest looking. If for some reason they fail, be ready to accept that outcome.
Echinacea first year
I have a purple coneflower plant that i planted in the spring from seed in a container, however since spring there has yet to be any flowers just leaves growing and getting bigger. Is this normal? And what can I do to protect it during the winter? I live in Northern Alberta Canada so the winters here get very cold! Are there any tips or precautions I should take since it's the plants first winter?
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