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#Purple coneflower plant how to
#Purple coneflower plant full

To deadhead, cut the dead flower back to a leaf where you can see a bud ready to swell. The seed heads will attract birds and promote self-seeding. Deadheading will prevent self seeding, if this is your preference.

Optional: Consider leaving late-season flowers on the plants to mature.

To promote self-seeding, cut back in late winter. Cut back in late winter/early spring when you’re tidying up the garden.

Cut back stems to soil level when they wither or after frost.

In late fall in colder regions, lightly spread mulch around plants.

They feed on insect eggs and larvae and pollinate plants.

Beneficial wasplike soldier beetles may appear in August.

Cut some and not others for more staggered bloom heights and times. This will result in later-flowering, more-compact growth because coneflowers can get leggy.

Optional: To encourage delayed blooming for fall enjoyment, cut coneflower plants back by 1 foot when plants come into bloom.

Deadheading in late season prevents self-seeding and bird-feeding.

To prolong the bloom period, deadhead when flowers fade.

In late spring, provide supplementary water only if the season is extremely dry or your coneflowers are newly planted.

Ensure your soil has plenty of organic matter when you plant.

Native in ground seldom need fertilizer.

Put a thin layers of compost and mulch around the plants to help keep them moist and prevent weeds.

Spread thin layers of compost, then mulch, on the soil surface to help keep plants moist and prevent weeds.Ĭheck out our video to learn more about the benefits of growing coneflowers:Ĭoneflowers are drought tolerant, but new plants need water occasionally, and more often if the spring season is especially dry.

Set the plant so that the root ball is level with the soil surface.

If planting from a pot, dig a hole about twice the pot’s diameter.

Plant coneflowers about 1 to 3 feet apart, depending on the mature size of the variety.

If dividing or transplanting coneflowers, do so in the spring or fall.

Note: Don’t cut back coneflower plants and they’ll self-seed readily.

Seed-sown plants are not likely to bloom for 2 to 3 years. Or sow them outdoors when the soil has warmed to at least 65☏/18☌.

Seeds can be started indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost last spring frost date.

Plant coneflowers when small, with blooms on the way, in spring or early summer.

These should be planted in spring or early summer, or in fall.

More commonly, coneflowers are bought as small plants with blooms already on the way.

They will spread readily in the right conditions. (Learn more about preparing soil for planting.) When to Plant Coneflowers Coneflowers are very tolerant of poor soil conditions, but they bloom best in soil that’s nutrient rich. Loosen soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches and mix in a 2 to 4 inch layer of compost or aged manure. Choose a location where the coneflowers won’t get shaded out nor sit in wet soil.

#Purple coneflower plant full

Leave the seed heads after bloom and you’ll also attract songbirds such as goldfinches! As native plants with prickly stems, they are more deer-resistant than most flowering plants, too.Ĭoneflowers are striking when planted in masses, especially as a mix of various colors.Ĭoneflowers prefer full sun and well-draining soil. Coneflowers have raised cone-like centers (hence, their name) which contain seeds that attract butterflies. Their genus name Echinacea comes from the Latin name for hedgehog, echinus, referring to the often prickly lower stem of the plant. Hybrids present more colors and sizes but also caveats: Many are sterile, meaning they do not produce viable seed, and they lack genetic diversity. purpurea) is most common, but up to 9 naturally occurring echinacea can be found in purple shades or yellow ( E. Coneflowers love heat and are trouble-free once established in a traditional garden or wildflower meadow. Coneflowers have raised cone-like centers (hence, their name, which attract butterflies and bees. After bloom, the seed heads attract songbirds, such as goldfinches.

These fast growers reach 2 to 4 feet in height, flower from midsummer through fall frost, and self-sow prolifically.

#Purple coneflower plant how to

They are native to the eastern and central United States, extending from Colorado south to Texas and north to the Great Lakes. Here’s how to grow this American native in your garden. Coneflowers, aka Echinacea, are tough upright perennials in the daisy family (Asteraceae).