Echinacea, or the Coneflower, is a highly-prized medicinal herb that can be found in North America.
This attractive plant has been prized for its use as an immune booster, with each part of the cone flower being useful somewhere along the line from home remedies to food and even ornamental purposes!
Not only popular and valuable in promoting good health, but they make beautiful additions to your perennial garden.
These cheery plants bloom from the middle of summer into fall which makes them hardy enough for zones 3 through 9!
Which Colors do Coneflowers come in?
The Coneflower is a versatile plant that can be used in many different ways. Coneflowers come in a variety of different shades including white, pink, purple, orange and rose.
It comes with beautiful colors and varieties, making it easy to create an attractive garden of your own!
The plants range from one-foot tall up to three feet high depending on the variety you choose; they also have long stems making them perfect for flower borders or as centerpieces at potlucks.
How To Grow Coneflowers
Coneflowers have the ability to self-seed and multiply. They prefer drier soil, so if you are looking for an easy plant that does not require much care then this one is perfect!
Coneflowers are a great plant for many reasons. They make excellent cut flowers, attracting butterflies and bees as well! The bright colors can be used to pleasant effect on your dinner table too.
Echinacea comes in many different colors, so it’s easy to choose the perfect flower for your garden. A deer-proof perennial bed can be created with just a little creativity and imagination!
How To Choose & Prepare The Right Location
Purple and red coneflowers are best suited to a bright, full sun. They prefer loose soil that drains well but can tolerate light shade due the beautiful appearance it produces when grown in such conditions .
To prepare the soil for planting, you will need to turn it with a garden fork or use your tiller. Once turned and loose at 12-15 inches deep, add 2 -4 inches worth of compost so that when roots grow in this is rich organic material, it can help them thrive better.
Make sure you dig an ample size hole for your seedling which will be twice the size of the diameter of your container.
Try spreading an inch or so of compost around the roots and follow up with two inches worth of mulch- which will feed your plant throughout the growing season while also discouraging weeds, and providing just enough moisture.
Caring For the Cone Flowers
To take care of your cone flower properly, try spreading an inch or so of compost around the roots and follow up with two inches worth of mulch- which will feed your plant throughout the growing season while also discouraging weeds, and providing just enough moisture.
You may have heard the old adage “deadheading your flowers will keep them producing for months.” This is true! By removing spent blossoms regularly, you can continue to enjoy showy displays well into fall.
You can also leave the final flowers on your plant in order to help it reseed itself.
The winter is a difficult time of year for birds and the gardens they need. By leaving your last bunch of coneflowers standing, you make sure it’s not just seed eaters like Goldfinch or chickadees who have something to look forward to in this cold season without food sources close by; mice will also be able rely on these plants as well!
Coneflower Companions
While it is possible to create an aesthetically pleasing and diverse all-coneflower garden, these hardy survivors will mix nicely with both domestic flowers as well as wildflowers.
Echinacea is a cousin to Black-Eyed Susans, they do well intermixed and with other varieties. It’s also worth considering when planting typical bedding flowers such as irises or daylilies in addition to its own beauty!
Avoid Overcrowding
Coneflowers will need dividing from time-to-time. As a general rule, every three or four years should be enough – be careful as more often than that may be damaging!
To prevent your plants from becoming crowded, lift out new growth carefully and divide them before applying annual compost or mulch.
Coneflowers love the rich soil that is perfect for their roots. To keep them happy, you should not overdo it with compost and make sure all of your dirt drains well so they don’t get root rot!
Coneflowers are beautiful and popular flower; they’re also not considered invasive but can quickly take over your garden. If you don’t mind their aggressiveness, consider planting coneflower in a pot or bed for the cuteness factor!
What’s the Best Way to Propagate Cone Flowers?
Coneflowers are one of the easiest flowers to grow. Not only can you sow their own seeds, but also with a little help they’ll be able to spread themselves throughout your garden or yard easily!
When it’s time for divisions make sure that all parts have plenty of room in order not too crowd out any seedlings.
New plants can be propagated by dividing established clumps. Dig around the plant, carefully lift it and shake or wash off any surface soil that might have accumulated on its roots over time- this should allow for easy division in most cases but some varieties require a knife to break up their root structure into manageable pieces before being divided accurately.
You’ll see several rooted plants in every clump, so go ahead and replant them individually. Most of the new hybrids are patented, making their propagation illegal. But since no one cares if you have a few plants for yourself—this should not be much of a worry!
New Options In Coneflowers
Other modern varieties in coneflowers include fluffy, double petaled versions that have light lemon yellow colors and all new blazing orange shades.
These plants really stand out when you grow them, as they can grow between two to four feet high with striking figures throughout your perennial or herb garden.