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Every time I see a bumblebee land on my coneflowers, it paints a smile on my face. Echinacea, as is the botanical name of these medicinal plants, are endlessly uplifting. Their strong stems rise upright, moving with the wind, topped with colorful daisy-like flowers that glow in the late-summer sun. And then there’s the finches eating the seeds in fall, and the seedheads that provide interest all winter. What’s not to love?
Why should you grow coneflowers?
Coneflowers are incredibly strong, easy plants – and a must-have for the popular prairie planting schemes. They flower for months, drawing in bees and butterflies, and they cope well with heat and drought once established. In a border, they will add a natural, slightly wild rhythm, especially paired with grasses. And if you leave the seedheads standing, they will carry your garden’s interest well into winter.
For all of you out there who only have a patio or balcony: I’ve been growing an Echinacea purpurea in a container and it’s been doing incredibly well for years now, with minimal maintenance.
How and when to plant Echinacea?
The best moments to plant Echinacea are in spring or early autumn, when the soil is moist and warm. Dig a hole just a little larger than the pot, gently tease out the roots, and set the plant in so the crown sits at soil level. Firm it in with your hands, water well, and leave space around your coneflower – about 40 cm – so the plant can breathe and spread.
If your soil is heavy clay, add some grit and compost to improve drainage. Echinacea really resents wet feet – especially in winter.
How to propagate Echinacea?
So far I have tried these two methods to propagate coneflowers:
Option 1: Dividing your coneflowers
The easiest way to propagate coneflowers is by dividing an established clump in early spring, just as the new growth appears. Lift the plant, split it with a spade, and discard the tired center that no longer grows well. Replant the younger, healthier pieces with enough space around them to grow, and water straight away.
Option 2: Sowing coneflowers
Sowing is cheaper and very rewarding, but it takes patience. Most guides (and seed packets) claim you’ll have flowers in the first summer. In my zone 8 garden that has never happened – my seedlings grew leaves the first year but only flowered in their second. That said, those plants are still going strong more than five years later, so the wait is worth it.
My own method is to sow Echinacea indoors in early spring, keeping the soil lightly moist (not too wet to prevent the seeds from rotting), and pricking out the seedlings once they’re large enough to handle. Alternatively, you can sow directly outside in June or July. Keeping the seeds moist might be more of a challenge during the summer, so keep on top of that. Once the seedlings are growing well, you can thin out the plants to about 30 cm (12 inches) apart.
Tip: Don’t have the heart to throw seedlings away when thinning out? Pot them up, grow them on and give them away to friends and family if you don’t have enough space in your own garden for them.
How to care for coneflowers?
- Spring: New shoots push through the soil. This is the best time to divide older plants if they have become congested.
- Summer: Water in dry spells, especially in their first year, and deadhead if you want to prolong flowering – though I always leave the seedheads to form.
- Autumn/winter: Don’t cut back the stems in autumn. The dried seedheads look lovely in frost and feed the birds. I only cut down the old shoots in late winter, just before the new growth emerges.
What to plant with Echinacea?
Photo: One More Garden
Coneflowers combine beautifully with ornamental grasses, such as Miscanthus, Pennisetum or Panicum, their upright shapes weaving together in the wind. Combining them with completely different shaped flowers, such as yarrow (Achillea millefolium), makes for a great summer vibe. They also sit well with other late-summer perennials – rudbeckias, asters, and verbena. Together they create a border that hums with insects and glows into autumn.
Common coneflower problems
Coneflowers are generally tough. If they flop, it is usually because they are growing in too much shade or soil that is too rich. Move them in spring to a sunnier, less rich spot and they will soon recover. Watch for slugs on young shoots, but once the plants are established, they are largely trouble-free. The biggest challenge is usually the wind, so stake them if necessary, or grow them between other plants that provide support.
