Growing Guide: Echinacea

Plant Type:
Perennial Herb, often grown as a Perennial or Annual 

Harvest Season: 
Year-round 

Mature Size: 
Up to 2-4 ft tall and 1-3 ft wide 

Coneflowers are clumping plants. One plant will tend to get larger, but it will not spread and overtake the garden via roots or rhizomes. Mature size depends on variety. Because Echinacea establish deep taproots, you need to plant them where you want them. They do not like to be moved once established. 

Soil & Moisture: 
Rich, well-draining soil.  Drought tolerant once established.  Very tolerant of poor soil conditions, but they perform best in soil that’s rich so mix in organic matter if needed.  Echinacea is a low-water plant; however, you’ll need to water young plants to help them establish new roots. That is usually a sequence of every day or every other day right after planting, moving to a couple of times per week, to once per week, to every other week, to watering only when your area is experiencing extreme drought. The second year after planting and beyond you should not have to water Echinacea at all unless you’ve gone eight weeks or more without rain.

Light Requirements: 
Full Sun, Part Shade

Echinacea thrives in full to partial sun. Plants need at least four hours of sunlight per day. The plants grow natively along the edges of woodlands, so they will thrive in spots with morning shade and afternoon sun or vice versa.

Self-Fertile:
Yes 

Growth Rate: 
Fast, Medium 

Zone Hardiness: 
Outdoors 3-9; Patio/Greenhouse 4+
Can easily be grown as an annual in Zones 9-11. 

Propagation:
Our Echinacea is grown from seed and is capable of flowering and harvesting within the growing season.