Echinacea purpurea

The purple coneflower — a robust prairie perennial with large daisy blooms whose rosy-purple petals sweep back from a bristly orange cone.
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Echinacea purpurea — the purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea is the botanical name for the purple coneflower, a robust, long-lived prairie perennial crowned with large, daisy-like flowers whose rosy-purple petals sweep back from a prominent, bristly orange cone. It is the species behind our echinacea range within the flower seed collection.

History & origin

Native to the prairies and open woodland of central and eastern North America, the purple coneflower was long used by Native American peoples and later became one of the most popular of all garden perennials, valued equally for its toughness, its long flowering and its draw for wildlife.

The genus name Echinacea comes from the Greek echinos, meaning hedgehog or sea urchin, a nod to the spiny central cone, while purpurea simply means purple.

Botanical characteristics

A clump-forming perennial reaching around a metre, it bears stout stems topped with solitary flowers up to 12 cm across over a long midsummer-to-autumn season. The raised central cone is rich in nectar and seed, making it a magnet for bees and butterflies — hence its place among our pollinator flowers — while the strong stems and long vase life also make it a fine cut flower, and the seed heads feed finches into winter.

Growing Echinacea purpurea from seed

Sow in spring in warmth, barely covering the seed; a period of cool, moist stratification can improve and even out germination. Grow on and plant into full sun and well-drained soil, where established plants are notably drought-tolerant. It usually flowers from its second year, then returns dependably. Our flower growing guide and flower sowing calendar cover the timing.

Ready to grow coneflowers? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Echinacea · Perennial Flowers · Pollinator Flowers · Cut Flowers · All Flower Seeds

At SeedsChoice, every order ships from Meppel, NL with fast, tracked EU delivery.

What is Echinacea purpurea?
It is the botanical name for the purple coneflower, a tough, long-lived North American prairie perennial grown for its rosy-purple, cone-centred daisies. How do I improve germination from seed?
Sow in spring in warmth and barely cover the seed; a spell of cool, moist stratification beforehand helps even out germination. When does it flower from seed?
Plants usually flower from their second year, then return dependably each summer for many seasons. Is the coneflower good for wildlife?
Very — the nectar-rich cones draw bees and butterflies, and the ripe seed heads feed finches into winter.