Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower
- Description
Large, purplish-pink daisy flowers with prominent copper-orange central cones rise on tall, sturdy stems — an unmistakable prairie silhouette that has become a cornerstone of modern naturalistic planting. Echinacea is a tireless pollinator plant through the summer, and its sculptural seed heads feed finches and add structure to the winter garden long after the petals have gone.
Echinacea germinates more reliably with a cold start — chill the seed packet in the fridge for 2–4 weeks before sowing. Sow at 1.5 cm deep in April or May, either direct into warm soil or into trays indoors. Transplant seedlings to 50 × 50 cm spacing in August or September, giving each plant room to spread and good air circulation. Choose a sunny spot with fertile, well-drained soil; once established, echinacea is drought-tolerant and needs little attention. Expect the first blooms in the second year. Fully hardy across the Baltic region; cut back the dead stems in early spring to make way for new growth.
One of the best pollinator plants you can grow — bees, butterflies, and hoverflies work the flowers all summer, and goldfinches feed on the ripe seed heads in autumn. For cutting, harvest when the petals have just fully reflexed around the cone; expect 7–10 days of vase life. Leave a generous proportion of the flowers to go to seed for the birds and for winter structure in the garden — the silhouettes look magical under frost.
Guaranteed fresh.
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