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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Coneflowers
Coneflowers, also known as echinacea, are one of America鈥檚 native wildflowers, beloved by butterflies, bees, and songbirds. Learn more about growing coneflower care鈥攆rom planting to pests to deadheading.
About Perennial Coneflowers
Echinacea are tough perennials in the daisy family (Asteraceae) and hardy in Zones 3 to 9. They are native to the eastern and central United States, blooming in mid-summer and continue to flower sporadically until frost.
The genus is named after the Greek word for hedgehog, echinos, because of its cone-like center, which attracts butterflies and bees. Leave the seed heads after bloom, and you鈥檒l also attract songbirds such as goldfinches!
Of course, this plant is good for humans, too, with many medicinal properties; today, it鈥檚 especially popular as an herbal tea to strengthen the immune system.
Do Coneflowers Spread?
This is not an aggressive plant, but it will naturally self-seed and spread, which you can encourage if you wait to cut back until late winter (or prohibit self-seeding if you deadhead the flowers right after they fade). Hybrids will not self-sow; most are sterile (they do not produce viable seeds). Hybrids aren鈥檛 of much interest to birds, either.
The Purple Coneflower
The purple coneflower (E. purpurea) is the most common and readily available. The flowers measure 2 to 4 inches in diameter and have a mounded, brown, central cone of disk flowers surrounded by long light purple rays that droop down the center cone. Up to nine naturally occurring echinacea can also be found in purple shades or yellow (E. paradoxa). They have dark green lower leaves 4 to 8 inches long.
Coneflowers are striking when planted in masses, especially as a mix of various colors. They are trouble-free once established in a traditional garden or wildflower meadow. They are commonly seen in perennial flower gardens.
Growing
- Coneflowers are drought tolerant, but new plants need water occasionally and more often if the spring season is especially dry.
- Native in-ground coneflowers seldom need fertilizer.
- To delay blooming for fall enjoyment (and compact growth), cut back stems 1 foot when plants come into bloom. For staggered bloom heights and times, cut only a few stems.
- Beneficial, wasplike soldier beetles may appear in August. They feed on insect eggs and larvae and pollinate plants. Do not harm them. Learn more about insects that help out around the garden.
- In late fall, lightly spread mulch in colder regions.
- Cut the stems back to soil level when they wither or after frost.
- Divide or transplant coneflowers in spring or fall.
Deadheading Coneflowers
Should you deadhead coneflowers? There are pros and cons. Deadheading right after a flower fades prolongs blooming and prevents reseeding. However, if you can wait until late winter, your birds鈥攅specially goldfinch 鈥 will enjoy those seedheads. Plus, coneflowers self-seed prolifically, so where you had only one, you鈥檒l have multiple places in the garden with lovely blooms that attract butterflies and bees.
How to deadhead coneflowers? After the flowers fade, cut back stems to a leaf near a new flower bud or a set of leaves. Use sharp, sterilized shears as coneflowers are too thick to snap back the spent flower head with your fingers.
Growing Coneflowers in Pots
We tend to grow coneflowers in the ground as perennial plants, but you can certainly grow them in pots if the containers are deep enough for the plant鈥檚 taproot.
- Use 2- or 3-gallon (or larger) pots with drainage holes. Spread crushed gravel in the bottom of the pots for drainage.
- Fill the pot halfway with the potting mix. Tamp down. Plant the root ball an inch below the rim of the container, spreading out the roots. Add soil slowly until it is even with the top of the root ball, tamping down lightly. Water deeply.
- Keep pots in partial shade for 2 to 3 days, then place in full morning sun and partial afternoon shade.
- Always water deeply at the soil level, and the soil is dry to the touch. Water on leaves can cause fungal disease.
- Fertilize every couple of weeks with a water-soluble 10-10-10 product.
- Deadhead just below the base of the flower for continued bloom.
- To overwinter, prune plants to soil level when plant growth slows in fall.
- Move to a cool (40潞 to 50潞F) area, with low to moderate indirect light.
- Check the soil every couple of weeks and water lightly when the top 3 inches are dry.
- When new growth appears in spring, move to a brighter, warmer (60潞 to 70潞F) area. Moving the plant helps to prepare it for living outdoors in the spring and summer.
- Do not water leaves from above, as this can encourage fungal disease on leaves. Instead, water at the soil level. Use an insecticidal soap or neem oil solution spray if you see any aphids or pests.
- Every 3 to 4 years, in spring, after new growth has started, divide and repot echinacea plants.
Types
These are native, unless noted 鈥
- 鈥楻obert Bloom鈥 (Echinacea purpurea): red-purple petals; prominent, dark orange centers
- 鈥楩inale White鈥 (E. purpurea): creamy-white petals; greenish-brown centers
- Narrow-leaf coneflower (E. augustifolia): similar to E. purpurea
- Pale purple coneflower (E. pallida); native to Ontario
- Sanguine purple coneflower (E. sanguinea): red-purple petals with streaks (sanguinea, Latin for 鈥渂lood鈥 refers to streaks in petals; native to southern states
- Smooth purple coneflower (E. laevigata): narrow, drooping, pale-pink petals; endangered
- Tennessee coneflower (E. tennesseensis): upturned mauve petals; greenish-pink centers
- Topeka purple coneflower (E. atrorubens): deep pink short petals; rare
- Wavy leaf coneflower (E. simulata): yellow pollen distinguishes it from E. pallida (white pollen)
- Yellow coneflower (E. paradoxa), aka Ozark coneflower: yellow petals
- 鈥楥濒别辞辫补迟谤补鈥 (E. hybrid): soft yellow petals; copper-green centers
Read about our favorite coneflower varieties here!
Catherine Boeckmann
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Everyone says they do well in clay soil. Clay soil does not drain well. "Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) These plants (herbs, actually) do very well in clay-heavy soil, are drought tolerant, and come in a variety of colors 鈥 the purple blooms will stop you in your tracks. ... It's a striking flower that does very well in clay soil." So do they like well-drained soil or clay soil? Kinda confused.
Will these thrive in zone 10, 11 ? Tropical weather ?
Coneflowers are not hardy for zones 10 and 11. See the zone list at the top of this page (on right side).
Why do our cone flowers that are supposed to be multi-colored turn out to be all pink? Does soil PH affect the color of cone flowers?
So far as we can tell, the soil would have to be extremely unsuitable to have an effect on the flower color. Is it possible that the plant tag is/was not accurate? (Sometimes tags get switched in nurseries by accident.) We suggest that you contact the source and ask them your color questions.
i planted some coneflowers about last month and they haven't sprouted yet
Last year my cone flowers first year it blossomed wonderfully, now this year all it has done is grow leaves, and more leaves....not a flower stem to be seen. What is going on ??
It could be that they are not getting enough sun or the soil conditions aren’t favorable, or there are insufficient nutrients—or some combination of these stress factors. Next year, try fertilizing them regularly. If they don’t bloom again, you might want to transplant them into a sunnier location (if possible) with soil amended with compost.
Does cone flower make good honey? I know bees love it but will the honey on the bee farm taste good?
Honey bees certainly love to forage on coneflowers (Echinacea) for their pollen. They tend to visit many flowers to make honey, such as clover and borage, so it would be hard for us to know what a pure coneflower honey might taste like. Let us know if you find out!
