Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Other names: Eastern purple coneflower, echinacea
Purple coneflower is a tough North American prairie perennial with large, pink-purple daisies around a raised, coppery cone. It flowers for two months or more, feeds bees and butterflies in summer and goldfinches in fall, and tolerates heat, drought and poor soil.
How to grow purple coneflower
Light
Full sun gives the sturdiest stems and most flowers. Plants also grow in light shade, where they may lean.
Watering
Water regularly in the first season. After that the deep taproot carries the plant through most dry spells. Water during droughts lasting more than two weeks.
Soil and feeding
Any reasonably drained soil is suitable, including clay and rocky ground. Rich soil and heavy feeding cause floppy growth. A thin layer of compost in spring is enough.
Planting and pruning
Deadhead in early summer to extend flowering, then leave the last flowers to form seedheads for birds and winter interest. Cut stems to the ground in early spring.
Propagation
Sow seed in fall or after a cold, moist spell of four to six weeks. Divide clumps in spring or fall every four years. Many named hybrids do not come true from seed.
Common problems
- Green, distorted flowers
- Aster yellows, a disease spread by leafhoppers. There is no cure. Dig out and bin the affected plant.
- White powder on leaves
- Powdery mildew. Give plants more space and water at the base.
- Stems flopping
- Too much shade, fertilizer or water.
Questions about purple coneflower
Do coneflowers come back every year?
Yes. Echinacea purpurea is a hardy perennial in zones 3 to 8 and also self-seeds lightly.
Should I cut back coneflowers in fall?
It is better to wait until early spring. The seedheads feed birds and the stems shelter overwintering insects.
Plant details
| Botanical name | Echinacea purpurea |
|---|---|
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Native range | Eastern and central North America |
| Plant type | Perennials. Herbaceous perennial |
| Soil | Average, well-drained soil |
| Flower color | Pink, purple |
- Attracts pollinators
- Drought tolerant
- Deer resistant
- Good cut flower
- Good for beginners
- North American native
- Pet-safe
