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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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Some of my cone flowers have finished blooming and it looks like the seeds in the head are sprouting. I've never seen this happen before.
The finches are having a great time eating seeds from the others. Could you tell me if what looks like sprouting actually is?
You may have a coneflower rosette mite problem. See link page at http://bygl.osu.edu/content/distorted-coneflowers-0.
I have purple and light yellow cone flowers and the light yellow look healthy but the petals have not filled in. The raised center looks healthy...why no petals?
I've had Purple Coneflower plants for years. Pulled some out last year with Aster Yellows. Every year some of the plants' leaves turn brownish and harden a bit. I've never understood but removed them as they appeared. This year, two of the plants' central blooming stalk - all its leaves and leaves to all the buds down the stalk have turned the same brownish color and have the same tough texture. The flowers are still beautiful and most of the leaves on the whole plant are a healthy looking green although some look like they want to join their ugly friends. Is this a fixable condition?
Too much moisture on the leaves and stems can cause them to turn brown. Make sure there is air circulation around the plants and if you need to water only water the soil around the plants. Brown spots on the leaves can also be caused by bacterial leaf spot disease.
I just planted some coneflowers from the nursery (and apparently too close together I have learned from comments) but I have noticed that the flower stems are standing up straight and tall all morning, but by the afternoon they are drooped in half. the next morning they are seemingly back to normal and then droop again in the after non. is this normal? they get a solid 6 hours of direct sunlight
Coneflowers do indeed wilt in more drought-like conditions, but will recover with the evening dew. It sounds as though it is hot and they are thirsty and need more water to get them through the summer days.
My son brought home a purple coneflower seedling at the end of the school year. We will be moving, so I don't want to plant it in the ground. Can I plant it in a big pot? If I do, how can I help it to go dormant this winter if we haven't moved by then? Also, when is the best time of year to plant them in the ground?
Yes, you can keep it alive in a pot. To help it go dormant this winter, leave the pot outside. If you are concerned that the pot might be buried in snow when you are set to move, you can also store it in the refrigerator. The best time of year to transplant is spring or fall. Good luck!
I got a few coneflowers last week. I'd like to put them in a container. How big of a container will I need to put both in the same one? Also, at this point, will they survive? Or am I better off putting them in the ground now? I live in northeastern Ohio. Thanks!
