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Genus Echinacea (Coneflower)

Echinacea Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais
eh-kih-NAY-shah Common Name: Coneflower
Echinacea are native meadow perennials with daisy-like flowers in shades of pink, purple, or white with prominent, cone-shaped, brownish-yellow to orange central disks.
 Noteworthy characteristics: Erect, hairy stems with bristly dark green leaves. Solitary flowerheads in various colors with distinctive raised central cone. Medicinal. Attracts butterflies, bees, and birds in winter if cones are left on plant.
 Care: Grow in deep, well-drained soil in full sun. Coneflowers do not require high fertility. Cut back stems to promote more flowering and reduce excessive self-seeding. Deadheading prolongs flowering.
 Propagation: Sow seed at 55°F in spring. Divide clumps in spring every 3 to 4 years. Take root cuttings from autumn to early winter.
 Problems: Leaf miners, powdery mildew, bacterial spots, and gray mold. Vine weevils may feed on roots.

Species, varieties and cultivars for genus Echinacea

Echinacea 'Art's Pride' Echinacea 'Art's Pride'
(Coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This cross of E. purpurea 'Alba' and E. paradoxa bears narrow coppery-orange ray petals and prominent deep brown central cones. The fragrant blooms open from early to late summer with sporadic later bloom. It has semi-glossy leaves and grows 2 to 3 feet tall.
Echinacea 'Harvest Moon' Echinacea 'Harvest Moon'
(Coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This is one of the exceptional Big Sky™ series (E. paradoxa crossed with E. purpurea), bearing fragrant, earthy-gold petals and golden orange central cones. These hybrids have all inherited the large green leaves, strong branching stems, wide flower petals, and profuse blooming tendencies of E. purpurea.
Echinacea 'Sundown' Echinacea 'Sundown'
(Coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This is one of the exceptional Big Sky™ series (E. paradoxa crossed with E. purpurea), bearing fragrant, russet-orange petals and reddish-brown central cones. These hybrids have all inherited the large green leaves, strong branching stems, wide flower petals, and profuse blooming tendencies of E. purpurea.
Echinacea 'Sunrise' Echinacea 'Sunrise'
(Coneflower) (1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This is one of the exceptional Big Sky™ series (E. paradoxa crossed with E. purpurea), bearing fragrant, pale citron petals and green-maturing-to-copper central cones. These hybrids have all inherited the large green leaves, strong branching stems, wide flower petals, and profuse blooming tendencies of E. purpurea.
Echinacea 'Sunset' Echinacea 'Sunset'
(Coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This is one of the exceptional Big Sky™ series (E. paradoxa crossed with E. purpurea), bearing fragrant, vibrant salmon-orange petals and brown central cones. These hybrids have all inherited the large green leaves, strong branching stems, wide flower petals, and profuse blooming tendencies of E. purpurea.
Echinacea 'Twilight' Echinacea 'Twilight'
(Coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This is one of the exceptional Big Sky™ series (E. paradoxa crossed with E. purpurea), bearing fragrant rose-colored petals and stunning red central cones on 24-inch plants. These hybrids have all inherited the large green leaves, strong branching stems, wide flower petals, and profuse blooming tendencies of E. purpurea.
no image available Echinacea angustifolia
(Coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This native meadow perennial has daisy-like blossoms in early summer. It bears copper-orange central cones surrounded by short, arching, ray petals in pink or purple-pink, and occasionally white.
Echinacea purpurea Echinacea purpurea
(Purple coneflower) (2 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Because of its carefree performance, this native meadow perennial with daisy-like flowers appropriately inhabits the gardens of many. It blooms from midsummer into early autumn, with prominent, copper-orange central cones surrounded by rose-purple, ray petals (to 5 inches across).
Echinacea purpurea Echinacea purpurea
(Purple coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This classic garden perennial is an eastern US native that is a staple in American gardens. It grows to 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide with both basal and stem leaves that are bright green and lance-shaped. Its 6-inch-wide flowers are a combination of deep pink rays and a tall, golden brown, spiky disk, and they appear in midsummer and keep going into midfall.
Echinacea purpurea 'Fragrant Angel' Echinacea purpurea 'Fragrant Angel'
('Fragrant Angel' coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Coneflowers have much to offer the garden, and now they have fragrance, too. 'Fragrant Angel' has large, sweetly scented flowers made up of two rows of white petals surrounding a greenish orange cone. The plants grow to 40 inches and attract butterflies. Grow them in a border, meadow, cottage garden, or cut flower garden.
Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High' Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High'
(Purple coneflower) (3 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This native meadow derivative is a compact version of the species. It blooms from midsummer into early autumn, with prominent, copper-orange central cones surrounded by drooping, rose- or purple-pink ray petals. It will reach 24 inches if not cut back.
Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus'
(Purple coneflower) (12 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This native meadow derivative has vibrant, daisy-like flowers that bloom from midsummer into early autumn. Its prominent, dark orange central cones are surrounded by larger (to 7 inches across) and more horizontal, reddish-pink, ray petals than the species.
Echinacea purpurea ‘Bright Star’ Echinacea purpurea ‘Bright Star’
(Purple coneflower) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This native meadow derivative with daisy-like flowers blooms from early summer into early autumn. 'Bright Star' has prominent, copper-orange central cones surrounded by red-purple ray petals (to 5 inches across), and grows to less than 3 feet tall.
Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan' Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan'
(White coneflower) (2 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This cultivar of a native meadow coneflower has white, daisy-like flowers from early summer into early autumn. Its prominent, coppery-green, central cones are surrounded by large white ray petals that reach 4.5 inches long.
Echinacea tennesseensis 'Rocky Top' Echinacea tennesseensis 'Rocky Top'
(Tennessee coneflower) (2 user reviews)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

The 'Rocky Top' hybrid offers the garden an abundance of pastel pink coneflowers with greenish-black cones on plants 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 foot wide. Interestingly, the flowers follow the sun like sunflowers and the petals sometimes curl upward slightly. Use this compact coneflower in borders, meadows, or as cut and dried flowers. E. tennesseensis was thought to be extinct in the 1960s, but was rediscovered and is now widely available as a garden plant.