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Echinacea purpurea ~ Purple Cone Flower
One of the best flowers for attracting butterflies and bees to your garden.
It's also valued, at least for me, because it adds a
touch of colour to my late summer garden.
I've planted it amongst my Hostas where these showy flowers will stand out particularly well!
It's hardy to zone 3 USDA, and is a native of North America.
Echinacea is a perennial that grows 3-4 feet tall. It does well in full sun, however, mine is tolerating part shader fairly well.
It likes the heat and seems to be thriving in the soil I've provided which is average to well drained.
Echinacea is well regarded for it's herbal properties and uses, and I won't even go there right now since I deal only in the seeds, (and there are far more experience herbalists on Local Harvest that can explain it all better than myself),
but I'll offer a few interesting links for anyone who would
like to explore and know more.
Purple cone flowers produce tons of seeds in Autumn!
After the blooms are spent and pretty much dried and crispy, I cut them off and place them in paper bags.
I wait a couple of weeks until I know for sure they are completly dry, then shake off the seeds for next year.
One thing I will do, however, is to leave a couple seed heads on the plant. Not only are they interesting to look at in the winter, but the birds like them too, so I always make sure to share with my feathered friends... Goldfinches love them!
Echinacea seed packets offered here --> Wall Flower Studio LH store!
Happy Gardening!
Posted by Karen
@ 07:54 PM PST
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