Add this classic perennial to your garden to enjoy its colorful blooms and to draw wildlife.
There are many more species and cultivars in different colors to choose from.
Coneflowers bloom from summer to fall, and they shine in a variety of garden tweaks.
Greg Ryan.
The landscaping options for planting coneflower are almost limitless.
How and When to Plant Coneflower
Plant coneflowers in the spring or early fall.
Place the plant in the hole and backfill with the original soil to the top of the root ball.
Credit: Bob Lenz
Gently tamp down the soil and water it well.
Keep it watered for at least a week until the plant is established.
Space plants 1 to 3 feet apart, depending on the mature size of the variety.
Credit: David Speer
Coneflower Care Tips
Light
Coneflowers wont tolerate anything less than full sun.
If planted in too much shade, they tend to get leggy and flop.
However, good drainage is essential; they dont like wet feet.
Credit: Blaine Moats
Because purple coneflower is native to grass prairies, it prefers well-drained soil.
Established plants tolerate drought well although they will bloom better if you water them regularly during dry spells.
Hot, dry summers are not a problem, but high humidity is not ideal.
Credit: Laurie Black
Excessive fertilization leads to leggy plants.
Pruning
Once plants have finished blooming,remove the spent bloomsto encourage a second round of blooms.
Goldfinches especially seem fond of sitting atop spent blossoms and picking away at the tasty seeds.
Credit: David Speer
Fill it with a combination of well-draining potting mix and compost.
Keep in mind that container plants require more frequent watering and fertilization than plants in the landscape.
Although coneflowers are winter-hardy in cold climates, growing them in containers exposes their roots to the cold.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
These pesky little bugs feed on pollen and plant juices by scraping the plant tissue and drinking the sap.
As these bugs fly around and feed, they transmit the virus from plant to plant.
Symptoms are visible on new buds and open flowers that show erratic, contorted growth.
Credit: David Speer
Coneflower seeds do not requirestratification.
Fill small pots or flats with soilless potting mix and place three or four seeds in each pot.
Lightly cover the seeds with 18 inch of soil.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Germination occurs in about four weeks.
Keep the soil evenly moist.
Once the seedlings emerge,place them under grow lightsor in a south-facing window.
Credit: David Speer
Harden off the seedlingsbefore planting them outdoors.
Wait until all danger of frost has passed to start coneflowers from seed outdoors.
Note that coneflowers usually dont bloom the first year after starting them from seed.
Credit: David Speer
Bravado Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpureaBravado is a robust cultivar that grows to 4 feet tall.
It bears loads of 4- to 5-inch-wide blooms that range in color from light pink to magenta rose.
Petals stand out for maximum display.
Credit: David Speer
They even bloom the first year from seed!
Dark-colored cones add to the intensity of the color on nice, compact plants.
Zones 4-10
Fragrant Angel Coneflower
ThisEchinacea purpureacultivar has 5-inch-wide white daisies with an orange center cone.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
It grows 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
Zones 3-9
Green Envy Coneflower
Echinacea purpureaGreen Envy offers mauve-purple petals tipped in lime green.
It grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Zones 3-9
Harvest Moon Coneflower
This cross betweenE.
paradoxaMatthew Saul, also known as Harvest Moon blooms in bright orangey-yellow with a golden-orange cone.
It grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
Credit: Scott Little
It grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
It grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
It grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
Credit: David Speer
It grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
It grows 2 feet tall and wide.
Full sun will do best to help prevent this from flopping.
Credit: Stephen Cridland
Its silver-felted foliage quickly forms a dense, delightful mat.
It also contrasts nicely with other foliage and most flowers.
In hot humid climates, lamb’s-ears may “melt down” in summer, becoming brown and limp.
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Wood betony is similar but not as shade-tolerant.
Zones 4-9
Globe Thistle
Globe thistleis one of the most elegantly colored plants around.
It has fantastical large blue balls of steel blue flowers in midsummer, which would be enough.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
But making it even more lovely are its large coarse grayish-green leaves, which set off the flower beautifully.
Globe thistle also makes a great cut flower, lasting for weeks in the vase.
It also dries well.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
It’s bothered by few pests or diseases.
If it likes its conditions, it will reseed fairly readily.
If you want to prevent this, deadhead flowers shortly after they fade.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
It shows off well against most flowers and provides an elegant look to flower borders.
The aromatic leaves are oblong and deeply cut along the edges.
Foot-long panicles of flowers bloom for many weeks.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Excellent drainage and full sun are ideal, although very light shade is tolerated.
Plant close to avoid staking because the tall plants tend to flop.
Keep the maintenance at a minimum by planting thisbeginner garden planin a full sun location.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Add this easy-growing collection of beautiful perennial flowers to your yard for big summer bang.
It is a compact plant that looks like a rudbeckia but has the hardiness and disease-resistance of the echinacea.
It grows in Zones 5-8.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
