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.
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 seed 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, the name) which contain seeds that attract butterflies. Leave the seed heads after bloom and you’ll also attract songbirds!
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.
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 in masses, especially as a mix of various colors.
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If the seedheads are nice and
If the seedheads are nice and dry you can plant them in the ground. You may want to break the heads open and take out the individual seeds to plant. Just remember that the seeds need at least 2 to 3 weeks of chilling temperatures to germinate. If you have cold winters you are all set.
Hi, It is now Aug4 and my
Hi, It is now Aug4 and my Cons have had a great season of growth and flowering due to little help from me. I have noticed that that the purple are not looking as good as the yellow but of late we have had less rain so the plants seem to be top heavy and are falling from the weight it seems. My question is how should I prep for winter and should I cut back the heavey plants? Do I just let them go the distance? Thanks.
Hi Pat, Cut off the dead
Hi Pat, Cut off the dead flowers to prolong the blooming season and prevent excessive self-seeding. If your plants are floppy, cut them to the ground after they are done blooming. To attract birds, keep the late-season flowers on the plants to mature.
Some of my cone flowers have
Some of my cone flowers have finished blooming and it looks like the seeds in the head are sprouting. I've never seen this happen before.
The finches are having a great time eating seeds from the others. Could you tell me if what looks like sprouting actually is?
You may have a coneflower
You may have a coneflower rosette mite problem. See link page at http://bygl.osu.edu/content/di....
I have purple and light
I have purple and light yellow cone flowers and the light yellow look healthy but the petals have not filled in. The raised center looks healthy...why no petals?
I've had Purple Coneflower
I've had Purple Coneflower plants for years. Pulled some out last year with Aster Yellows. Every year some of the plants' leaves turn brownish and harden a bit. I've never understood but removed them as they appeared. This year, two of the plants' central blooming stalk - all its leaves and leaves to all the buds down the stalk have turned the same brownish color and have the same tough texture. The flowers are still beautiful and most of the leaves on the whole plant are a healthy looking green although some look like they want to join their ugly friends. Is this a fixable condition?
Too much moisture on the
Too much moisture on the leaves and stems can cause them to turn brown. Make sure there is air circulation around the plants and if you need to water only water the soil around the plants. Brown spots on the leaves can also be caused by bacterial leaf spot disease.
I just planted some
I just planted some coneflowers from the nursery (and apparently too close together I have learned from comments) but I have noticed that the flower stems are standing up straight and tall all morning, but by the afternoon they are drooped in half. the next morning they are seemingly back to normal and then droop again in the after non. is this normal? they get a solid 6 hours of direct sunlight
Coneflowers do indeed wilt in
Coneflowers do indeed wilt in more drought-like conditions, but will recover with the evening dew. It sounds as though it is hot and they are thirsty and need more water to get them through the summer days.
My son brought home a purple
My son brought home a purple coneflower seedling at the end of the school year. We will be moving, so I don't want to plant it in the ground. Can I plant it in a big pot? If I do, how can I help it to go dormant this winter if we haven't moved by then? Also, when is the best time of year to plant them in the ground?
Yes, you can keep it alive in
Yes, you can keep it alive in a pot. To help it go dormant this winter, leave the pot outside. If you are concerned that the pot might be buried in snow when you are set to move, you can also store it in the refrigerator. The best time of year to transplant is spring or fall. Good luck!
I got a few coneflowers last
I got a few coneflowers last week. I'd like to put them in a container. How big of a container will I need to put both in the same one? Also, at this point, will they survive? Or am I better off putting them in the ground now? I live in northeastern Ohio. Thanks!
Hi Deb, The coneflowers will
Hi Deb,
The coneflowers will do better if you plant them in the ground. They will have time to establish before the cold weather arrives and will be better protected during the winter months.
Recently, I planted a
Recently, I planted a butterfly and hummingbird garden. Everything that I planted has popped up through the ground and looking great! However, my coneflower plant has not. Am I getting impatient or could it just not be time yet? How much longer should I wait? I located in zone 6A. Thanks - Lori
As you probably know, this
As you probably know, this plant does not ask for much. However, if you have not had much rain, keep it well watered (in well draining soil). You can also try working in a small amount of well composted material into the soil. More than that, we are not aware of what might be amiss. Wait and see what happens.
Hi Lori,
Hi Lori,
I'm a few years late but my reply might help someone with a similar problem. Some types of coneflowers are biannual. I'm in zone 4-5. I had planted Green headed and Grey headed coneflowers (color refers to tge eye as the petals are yellow) from seedlings few years ago. They grew a few inches the first year and no flowers. The second year they took off and are over 5 feet tall and covered with flowers.
I live very close to Winnipeg
I live very close to Winnipeg Manitoba(Zone 2B I believe). I purchased a potted Purple Coneflower(Magnus Superior) at a local gardening center and planted it last spring. It seemed to do well last summer. I did not prune it. It has not yet shown signs of returning. Is it too much to expect it to survive our winter? Can I assume it is dead or does it tend to be late in coming up and I just need to be patient?
Hi, Melanie: If you live near
Hi, Melanie: If you live near Winnipeg, it is more likely that you are in Zone 3 or even 4, which should be fine. Sometimes, though, site-specific microclimates can be colder (or warmer, for that matter) than we think, so you never know. Assuming that your plant didn't have some underlying pest issue that wasn't obvious last year, it could be that it is just waiting for the soil to get warmer. It seems as if you should be OK. Thanks for asking!
Something in my garden is
Something in my garden is causing malformation of leaves and or leaves and stems on many of my coneflower plants. I first suspected nematodes now I'm not sure as some plants are only affected at the very top and all of the plants look healthy, just distorted in one way or another.
Coneflowers are susceptible
Coneflowers are susceptible to disease because they're often overcrowded or water is getting on the leaves. This causes some form of leaf spot. The solution is to water in a way that keeps moisture off the leaves and stems. Apply a fungicide to protect healthy plants.
I purchased a pot of
I purchased a pot of echinacia last fall with plans of planting. I unexpectedly had back surgery and they didn't get planted. They stayed in our back porch all winter. It's now getting close to planting time and I was wondering if I should plant them or if I killed them by not planting them in the fall?
Hi Amy, Wait to see if the
Hi Amy,
Wait to see if the plants will start growing in the pot before planting in the ground. Give the pot some water and put it in a sunny spot. The flowers may have survived depending on where you live and how cold the winter was.
It is a chilly March 16 and
It is a chilly March 16 and my echinacea plants just arrived. Insructions say plant immediately. Its going to be 20 degrees tonight. My gut says to wait. I would love your advice
Hi Eden, Did the plants come
Hi Eden,
Did the plants come in small pots? We suggest that you plant them in bigger containers and keep them indoors. When the weather warms up you can plant the coneflowers in the garden.
I'm planting many coneflowers
I'm planting many coneflowers this spring, they are potted plants, will they flower this year or not.
If the plants are not too
If the plants are not too tiny they will grow and produce flowers this year.
The voles have devoured my
The voles have devoured my coneflower plants for the last several years as I continue to spread more and more vole granular repellant and sprays. Will a coneflower plant live if left in its container, planted in the ground, that has a few small holes cut into it to allow for some root growth, and will this arrangement prevent voles fem eating the rootball?
Sinking a pot into the soil
Sinking a pot into the soil will protect the rootball. Plant your coneflowers in big plastic pots and they should be fine. Some readers have lined a hole in the garden with fine chicken wire and then planted the flowers inside the "cage" and filled in with soil.
help my butterfly garden has
help my butterfly garden has been taken over by Giant Foxtails. I have been told to use a preemergent spray next spring. How to I save the seeds from the plants I want to keep, like hollyhocks and coneflowers?
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