Plant Profile: Health-Giving Echinacea
Not just a handy medicinal herb for colds, Echinacea helps any garden to hold its head high in all seasons
Mention that you feel a cold coming on and someone is bound to recommend you dose up on Echinacea – it’s known in herbal medicine circles as a cold remedy, antibiotic, and stimulant for the immune system. But these plants have many other qualities to offer those with or without a green thumb. Echinacea purpurea and other ‘coneflowers’ are wonderful, drought-tolerant, frost-hardy perennials with stunning, long-lasting floral displays. Read on to find out how to make them thrive in your garden.
PLANT AT A GLANCE
Scientific name: Echinacea sp & cvs
Common name: Coneflower
Name origin: Derived from the Greek word Echino, meaning ‘sea urchin’ due to the flower’s prominent spiny centre. The flower petals angle away from the centre and form a shuttlecock-like cone.
Origin: Found in North America
Climate: A very adaptable plant. Drought tolerant, frost hardy, tolerant of exposed positions, including coastal areas.
Flowering times: Long-flowering display from late spring to autumn
Soil: Fertile, pH neutral, well-drained soils (must have good drainage). Avoid over fertilising and heavy mulch placed over crowns in winter.
Aspect: Full sun to part shade (at least six hours of sun per day)
Water: A good waterwise plant. Avoid overwatering, overcrowding and damp spots as coneflowers hate being soggy and may be susceptible to fungal diseases if there isn’t enough air circulation.
Pests and diseases: Not generally bothered by pests or diseases other than root rot and fungal problems in overly wet conditions.
Scientific name: Echinacea sp & cvs
Common name: Coneflower
Name origin: Derived from the Greek word Echino, meaning ‘sea urchin’ due to the flower’s prominent spiny centre. The flower petals angle away from the centre and form a shuttlecock-like cone.
Origin: Found in North America
Climate: A very adaptable plant. Drought tolerant, frost hardy, tolerant of exposed positions, including coastal areas.
Flowering times: Long-flowering display from late spring to autumn
Soil: Fertile, pH neutral, well-drained soils (must have good drainage). Avoid over fertilising and heavy mulch placed over crowns in winter.
Aspect: Full sun to part shade (at least six hours of sun per day)
Water: A good waterwise plant. Avoid overwatering, overcrowding and damp spots as coneflowers hate being soggy and may be susceptible to fungal diseases if there isn’t enough air circulation.
Pests and diseases: Not generally bothered by pests or diseases other than root rot and fungal problems in overly wet conditions.
The cone remains intact on tall erect stems long after the flower has died and many gardeners who enjoy this interesting sculptural phase deliberately leave the brown spiky heads to stand proud in the winter garden.
The above and below series of photographs shows how beautifully the flowers complement this broad meadow-like planting during the colourful flowering phase, through the earthy tones of late autumn and even during winter snow.
The above and below series of photographs shows how beautifully the flowers complement this broad meadow-like planting during the colourful flowering phase, through the earthy tones of late autumn and even during winter snow.
Dead-heading encourages flowering well into the autumn, however each gardener must choose whether to leave the sculptural tops on or cut the dead flowers back down to the basal clump before winter comes. There is no wrong way – it’s a personal choice. You can always cut them back at the beginning of spring to encourage nice bushy regrowth.
TOP TIP: Echinacea sp propagates well from seed but many of the hybrids are sterile so if you are keen to try, make sure you stick with a species. Try keeping the cones for seeding in the spring. Either plant the whole cone and prick out excess seedlings or separate seeds from the cone head prior to planting.
TOP TIP: Echinacea sp propagates well from seed but many of the hybrids are sterile so if you are keen to try, make sure you stick with a species. Try keeping the cones for seeding in the spring. Either plant the whole cone and prick out excess seedlings or separate seeds from the cone head prior to planting.
Once established, coneflowers are a great perennial in the garden and can be used to complement many different garden styles with their bold displays.
Thanks to the clever plant breeders, each year new hybrids offer a myriad colours – from the traditional purples to white, yellow, pink, orange, deep reds and even petal-free greens.
WARNING: Do not take Echinacea if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have an autoimmune disease, unless under professional advice.
Thanks to the clever plant breeders, each year new hybrids offer a myriad colours – from the traditional purples to white, yellow, pink, orange, deep reds and even petal-free greens.
WARNING: Do not take Echinacea if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have an autoimmune disease, unless under professional advice.
Natural and easygoing clumps tend to naturalise and look great in classic combinations such as alongside the various Salvia cvs, Achillea sp & cvs, Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, Rudbeckia sp, as well as the many ornamental grasses available to us these days.
TOP TIP: Try planting en masse for best effect and divide after 3-5 years to avoid overcrowding.
TOP TIP: Try planting en masse for best effect and divide after 3-5 years to avoid overcrowding.
By the front door
Why not try a red-on-red approach. This entry planting with its red Smoke Bush, pink coneflowers and the red door combo will look great for at least 6 months of the year and who wouldn’t love smiling daisy flowers to welcome them home.
Why not try a red-on-red approach. This entry planting with its red Smoke Bush, pink coneflowers and the red door combo will look great for at least 6 months of the year and who wouldn’t love smiling daisy flowers to welcome them home.
Small courtyard success
Coneflowers are useful in small spaces such as courtyards because they have a strong, upright habit that doesn’t inhibit movement. If you are a time-poor professional, the reliably long display reduces the need for fussy garden maintenance.
Coneflowers are useful in small spaces such as courtyards because they have a strong, upright habit that doesn’t inhibit movement. If you are a time-poor professional, the reliably long display reduces the need for fussy garden maintenance.
Poolside pretties
Poolside gardens can be notoriously hot and hostile areas to plant. Why not keep it sweet and simple with nice swathes of Echinacea sp to brighten up the scene?
Poolside gardens can be notoriously hot and hostile areas to plant. Why not keep it sweet and simple with nice swathes of Echinacea sp to brighten up the scene?
Potplant colour
Echinacea sp & cvs make great pot plant specimens and will even tolerate quite a lot of neglect. Plant on their own as in this example, or combine with other smaller plants around the edges to create an accent. Try ornamental chives, Golden Oregano or a clumping grass such as Blue Fescue.
Echinacea sp & cvs make great pot plant specimens and will even tolerate quite a lot of neglect. Plant on their own as in this example, or combine with other smaller plants around the edges to create an accent. Try ornamental chives, Golden Oregano or a clumping grass such as Blue Fescue.
Street-wise toughies
Front-fence plantings along the street are often forgotten about or suffer a hard life due to heavy exposure to heat, wind and drought. Echinacea sp is a perfect choice for an area like this, whether a narrow bed or a deep garden strip where you’d really like to have minimum-maintenance plants that look great regardless of your thumb colour.
Front-fence plantings along the street are often forgotten about or suffer a hard life due to heavy exposure to heat, wind and drought. Echinacea sp is a perfect choice for an area like this, whether a narrow bed or a deep garden strip where you’d really like to have minimum-maintenance plants that look great regardless of your thumb colour.
With the right conditions and clever placement, a clump of coneflowers could transform your garden from lacklustre into one that makes a long-lasting statement to all who have the privilege to lay eyes upon them … it’s an oldie but a goodie.
YOUR SAY
Do coneflowers call your garden home? Share your images and experiences with these hardy plants in the comments section.
MORE
So Your Garden Style Is: Cottage
How to Choose the Right Garden Edging for Your Outdoor Space
12 Gorgeous Gates for Your Dream Garden
11 Clever Tricks With Side Gardens
YOUR SAY
Do coneflowers call your garden home? Share your images and experiences with these hardy plants in the comments section.
MORE
So Your Garden Style Is: Cottage
How to Choose the Right Garden Edging for Your Outdoor Space
12 Gorgeous Gates for Your Dream Garden
11 Clever Tricks With Side Gardens
Coneflowers are native to North America, where they are generally found growing in open prairies and lightly wooded forests. There are nine different species, although not all are used for therapeutic purposes and the straight species and many cultivars of the Echinacea purpurea are most popular for ornamental gardening due to its more fibrous root system.