Growing Echinacea (coneflowers): A Colorful Journey in Your Garden

Coneflowers range in color from traditional purple to shades of pink, yellow, orange, and white.

Image by Alicja from Pixabay

Echinacea, also known as the coneflower, is a powerhouse of beauty that will keep your flower bed alive with color all summer. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a newbie with a green thumb, growing echinacea can be a rewarding experience. Let’s dive into the world of these vibrant blooms and discover how to cultivate them in your own backyard.

Before we get our hands dirty, let’s meet the echinacea family:

Popular Echinacea (coneflower) Varieties

White Swan Coneflower

Image by Hans Benn from Pixabay

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• White Swan: This coneflower looks a lot like a big daisy with a distinctive yellow/orange cone in the center. It grows to heights of 24 to 36 inches tall, although it might take a couple of years for it to reach its mature height.  If you love classic daisies but have grown frustrated with their short blooming time, consider adding White Swan coneflowers to the perennial bed so you can enjoy their beauty all summer.​

Butterfly Rainbow Marcella

Image by Nannette Richford

• Butterfly Rainbow Marcella: This delightful coneflower begins with coral petals that blend to soft pink in the center, gradually turning all pink as the season progresses.  It is a bit shorter, reaching 18 inches in height, and takes its time getting established. But once established it will reward you with a mass of striking blooms that last all summer. Consider this coneflower for your perennial border.

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Adobe Orange Coneflower

Image by Nannette Richford

• Adobe Orange​: Picture vibrant orange blooms that last all summer. This variety grows up to 20 inches tall and attracts bees and butterflies while resisting deer. It is short enough for the front or middle of the bed but may get lost among other flowers when placed in the back.

Green Twister Coneflower

Image by Sunnyside Nursery

• Green Twister: ​Unique and eye-catching, this echinacea has bright pink petals fading to lime green on the outside. This massive plant reaches heights of 4 feet or more once it is established in your bed. This showy coneflower is sure to catch the eye of passersby and may even become the envy of your neighbors.

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Double Decker Coneflower

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

image by Outside Pride

• Double Decker: This double-flowering echinacea, features pale pink, frilly petals that look like two flowers on one stem. It reaches about 3 feet in height and tolerates partial shade. The soft pink and mass of color from Double Decker add a touch of romance to the landscape. Double Decker works well for the middle of perennial beds.

Image via Cape Gazette

• Cheyenne Spirit: Imagine a delightful mix of gold, orange, red, and rose-colored flowers all on the same plant. If you are limited on space but want to add a variety of colors to your perennial bed, Cheyenne Spirit is a great choice. While it will bloom the first year from seed, it can be difficult to germinate. Start the seed early inside and set the plants out when all danger of frost has passed. This coneflower variety grows to 24 to 36 inches tall.

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Magnus Coneflower

Purple Coneflower

Image via Mt. Cuba Center

• Magnus: Long-blooming with vibrant, hot-pink flowers (up to 6 inches across), Magnus is a showstopper from early summer to early fall as it grows 3 feet tall and has petals that are held relatively straight instead of dropping like other coneflowers. Think of this coneflower as a cross between a colorful daisy and the traditional purple coneflower with its long-lasting color.

Image by Nannette Richford

• Echinacea Purpurea: The original purple coneflower is a butterfly magnet. It stands tall (up to 5 feet) and flaunts purplish-pink blossoms from early summer until frost in the fall. This classic coneflower is the mainstay of perennial beds across the US as it thrives in zones 3 through 9.

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Planting and Care Tips for Coneflowers

Yellow & Purple Coneflowers

Image by Nannette Richford

Choosing a Location for Coneflowers

Sunlight: Echinacea loves well-drained soil and basks in full sun. It does well in 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight, but will thrive in all day sun, too. It will grow in less light, but too little sunlight inhibits blooming.

​​Soil: Coneflowers love average, well-drained, slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. If your soil is sandy and rocky (like mine), fear not—echinacea thrives even in inhospitable conditions and is quite drought tolerant. 

How to Plant Coneflower Seedlings

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1. Dig a hole twice the pot’s diameter. This allows plenty of room for the roots to grow and spread.
2. Add a handful of compost or well-rotted manure and work it into the existing soil.
3. Settle the plant into the soil so the crown of the plant is level with the soil surface.
4. Fill in around the root ball with fresh soil, firming it down with your hands.
5. Space plants 1 to 3 feet apart, depending on their mature size.
6. Water thoroughly and mulch to keep them moist and weed-free. But be aware that heavy mulching may prevent your coneflowers from spreading in your perennial garden.

Deadheading and Pruning Echinacea Plants

Deadheading: Deadheading your coneflowers by snipping off the blooms once they have faded encourages more blooms, but if you are short on time, or simply don't want the hassle of deadheading them, they will do well without it too. Deadheading does improve the appearance of the plants, as the faded petals do shrivel and gradually turn brown, but the blooms are so long lasting that deadheading isn't typically a chore.

Pruning: Coneflowers do not require pruning other than removing damaged or dead stems and cutting them down to the ground in the fall. However, you can leave them until spring, if you prefer. This allows seeds to spread naturally and provides a tasty treat for winter birds, too.
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Fertilizing & Watering Coneflowers

Fertilizing: Coneflowers do well in average soil and don't require a lot of fertilizing. I fertilize mine with a water-soluble fertilizer in the early spring and again when they begin to bud. Fertilizing again in the fall gives the roots a boost of nutrients, too.

Watering: Coneflowers prefer evenly moist, well-drained soil, but they do well with average rainfall of an inch or two a week. Although they are drought-tolerant and will survive during hot, dry spells, they will flourish with supplemental watering.

Saving Coneflower Seeds

​Saving Seeds: You can save the seeds from your coneflower plants in the fall, but beware. Coneflower seeds need cold stratification in order to bloom the following year. If you choose to harvest the seeds to start inside in the spring, place them in the refrigerator (or unheated area, like the garage or basement) for 4 to 6 weeks.

​But be aware that seeds from many newer hybrid species may germinate poorly or not at all. They may also produce new plants different from the parent plant. But who knows, you may end up with a new variety that you love, so give a try if you like surprises and enjoy starting seedlings at home.

Why Grow Echinacea in the Perennial Flower Garden?

• Low Maintenance: Coneflowers don't need a lot of care other than occasional watering and deadheading.
• Colorful Long-lasting Beauty: Those vibrant petals add a pop of color to any garden and last all summer long.
• Pollinator Paradise: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds can’t resist echinacea. Provide local pollinators with a feast while setting your garden abuzz with activity and color.
• Medicinal Magic: Harvest and dry the coneflower petals to make a delightful herbal echinacea tea to fight off sniffles or explore its potential anti-cancer properties. Try adding ginger and lemon to enhance the flavor of the tea and boost the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.