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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My cone flower plant is about
My cone flower plant is about 5 years old and always had plenty of purple flowers. This year..there are no purple petals on the plant. Just the centers. What to do?
I'm afraid that your
I'm afraid that your coneflowers may have a disease called asters yellows. It comes from infected leafhoppers. Once infected, it is a lost cause since the disease is incurable. Bring a sample to your local cooperative extension or garden nursury to confirm diagnosis. If confirmed, you need to remove the plants and, for the foreseeable future, look for less susceptible plants such as verbena, salvia, nicotiana, geranium, cockscomb, and impatiens.
I planted my Coneflowers last
I planted my Coneflowers last year in a pot. This year I have a l large stem about 3' tall, that looks like a weed. I don't see any thing that looks like a bud & it's already mid July. Is this normal?
It's difficult to answer this
It's difficult to answer this correctly without seeing the plant that you suspect might be a weed. Here's what we can tell you: First, nothing is guaranteed, so it's possible that the plant you put into a pot failed to thrive and that is indeed a weed. This plant likes sun, well-drained soil, not a lot of water, and not very fertile soil. If you think you have cared for it properly, you could consider taking it to a nursery or the like so that someone could see what you've got, that is, of course, if the pot is manageable.
Where do you cut the flower
Where do you cut the flower when deadheading?
Good question. It's
Good question. It's preference. If there aren't more buds, you could just cut down the stalk or some people like to cut to the leaf. If you still have buds, cut above the new bud. When you're nearing the end of the season, you could just leave the seed heads on—and they will self-seed or attract feathered friends.
My coneflowers are 3-4 feet
My coneflowers are 3-4 feet tall and getting wide. Do I have to wait till fall to cut them?
Nope, cut your coneflowers
Nope, cut your coneflowers when they're done blooming if you want to do so. If you want them to self-seed, leave the flower heads for the birds over the winter-and you may get new spouts next season! If you don't want your coneflowers to spread, cut them down.
I planted my beautiful funnel
I planted my beautiful funnel shaped pink coneflower plant many years ago. It looked terrific for a few years and now the flowers are almost white and the shape of a daisy? Is there something I need to do to get the original flower shape & colour?
Coneflowers need to be
Coneflowers need to be divided every 3 to 4 years to keep blooming well. In the spring, as new growth starts, lift the plants, divide them into clumps, and replant spaced apart.
I have a large patch of
I have a large patch of coneflowers with NO BLOOMS , could this be my problem ???
do I cut coneflowers right
do I cut coneflowers right down in the fall? do they come back up from the ground? first time with them :)
Hi, Rolande, You can deadhead
Hi, Rolande, You can deadhead coneflowers after the blooms get spent to encourage more blooming if you wish (though not required). Leave some seeds for the birds. Cut back half the plants in June for later flowing. Then, you can leave the coneflowers standing through winter if you wish. And, yes, you can cut all of them down to the ground after a hard frost. If you live in a cold area, add some light mulch. They are perennials and you'll see them again next season!
We planted our coneflowers we
We planted our coneflowers we got from the nursery in mid may. They are in full sun and have had plenty of rain. Unfortunately they are not growing. In fact, the flowers are turning black. What are we doing wrong?
Unfortunately, "plenty of
Unfortunately, "plenty of rain" may be the problem. Damp conditions that results from excess water/rain can result in a fungal disease that affects the root, or crown. Contact a nurseryman or county extension agent to get confirmation, either by describing or even uprooting and showing a plant. A fungicide might be recommended. Coneflower is drought tolerant; the opposite of that--wet--challenges them. Best wishes for more blooms!
My coneflowers are big &
My coneflowers are big & bushy in mid June on TX but have not a bud or flower or even a hint. Is it yet to come or some problem. This is their first spring.
Cone flowers usually bloom
Cone flowers usually bloom from mid-June until the first fall frost. If your plants are established and look healthy you should see buds soon. If this is the first year for the cone flowers in your garden they may not flower. They spend the first summer putting down a strong root system and next year you should see plenty of flowers!
Had the same thing happen
Had the same thing happen last year but this year also very bushy have 3 flowers so far. Shocked they are white! Ordered purple, sigh, have grown attached after the wait. Am in LA..
Something's eating my
Something's eating my coneflowers??? My purple coneflowers were doing very well until 2 weeks ago. Something ate them down to about 1/4 their normal size. Plants are on north and west side of house and are about 4 years old. Don't see any bugs on what's left. Are any animals prone to eating coneflowers?
my cone flowers are being
my cone flowers are being eaten, too! Supposedly they are deer resistant, we are thinking maybe groundhogs?
When I came home from work
When I came home from work today, I discovered my coneflowers and the buds were completely gone. The plants are now half the size they were yesterday. I live in the city and the only animals that we've seen around are squirrels and rabbits. Are the rabbits eating the heads off the coneflowers? If so, what can be done to eliminate this problem?
Coneflowers are indeed
Coneflowers are indeed deer-resistent. We'd guess rabbits, birds, or bugs, depending on the symptoms.
Rabbits like to eat
Rabbits like to eat coneflower foliage. Hot pepper wax sprays make leaves less appealing to the rabbits. Birds also love to pluck the leaves. Aphids and Japanese beetles are common culprits. Another common insect pest is the eriophyid mite. They are microscopic in size --which is why you don't see them -- and live inside the flower buds where they suck nutrients from the flowers. Damage results in tufts of stunted and distorted flower parts sprouting from the coneflower. Plants that are affected by eriophyid mites should be cut back to the ground in the fall and all plant debris should be removed and destroyed.
slugs like to eat echincea
slugs like to eat echincea too. And you dont see them unless u go out with a flashlight. We had a war here and careful removal and maintenance won!
my cone flowers lack color
this past year all of my coneflowers in three different flower gardens have lost color and vigor. they grew spindly and with fewer stalks. What happened? How can I fix?
Add some compost to the soil
Add some compost to the soil around the plants and put down some mulch to keep the soil moist and weed free. Divide the plants every 3 to 4 years.
Help my coneflowers
My coneflowers look deformed. The flowers bloom with only half the petals or with petals rimmed in black. I don't know what to do because we seem to be doing everything we should. The only thing that might not be right is that I doubt that they get 6 hours of direct sun a day.
If you have deformed
If you have deformed coneflower flowers with scarce petals, this sounds as if you have a flower disease called Aster yellows. Unfortunately, the flowers have to be pulled. See more: http://hort.uwex.edu/articles/...
it is a disease that there is
it is a disease that there is no known cure for. just cut of the heads, make sure you throw them in the garbage not the compost. and hope for the best next time they come up. We have had this happen on most of ours, as we have over 55 different ones.
transplanting to new bed
I moved about 3 of my prized coneflower plants 3 weeks ago to a new flowerbed, boy has it been a babysitting job1 I think one is going to succumb to over exposure to the sun, but the others are doing well, after I cut them back severly. I will never do this again!
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