Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Also called echinacea, coneflower
Purple coneflower is a hardy perennial with daisy-like flowers that grows in full sun or partial shade. Seeds usually sprout in about 10 to 20 days when kept warm and moist, and the plant often reseeds itself.
Quick facts
- Germination time
- 10–20 days
- Germination temperature
- 18–21 °C64–70 °F
- Sowing depth
- 3 mm⅛ in
- Spacing between plants
- Not yet verified
- Days to maturity
- Not yet verified
- Sun
- Full sun, partial shade
Safety for cats and dogs: not yet verified.
By SeedBattle EditorsUpdated
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01 · Overview
About purple coneflower
Purple coneflower is a herbaceous perennial native to North America, with daisy-like flowers and a domed, dark brown center. Plants usually grow 1½ to 3 feet (46–91 cm) tall and 1½ to 2 feet (46–61 cm) wide. They are winter hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8 and bloom from early summer until frost.
Pollinators such as butterflies and bees visit the flowers, and birds eat the seeds from the dried centers.
Growing details
- Start indoors
- Not yet verified
- Sow outdoors
- Not yet verified
- Water
- Not yet verified
- Containers
- Yes
- Height
- 46–91 cm1½–3 ft
- Spread
- 46–61 cm1½–2 ft
- Frost tolerance
- Hardy
- Soil pH
- pH 6.0–8.0
- Life cycle
- Perennial
- Hardiness zones
- USDA zones 3–8
02 · How to grow
How to grow purple coneflower from seed
Sowing. Sow seed in spring once the soil is warm, about 65 °F (18 °C), placing groups of 3 to 4 seeds about ⅛ inch (0.3 cm) deep and thinning to one plant. You can also start seed indoors in air around 65 to 70 °F (18 to 21 °C), covering the seeds lightly with potting soil. Keep the seed bed misted until seedlings appear, which usually takes 10 to 20 days.
Light and soil. Plant in full sun or partial shade. The plant grows best in full sun and well-drained soil.
Seedlings. Plants started from seed can take two or more years to become sizable.
03 · Care
Caring for purple coneflower
Watering and feeding. Once established, plants tolerate drought and heat. They are not heavy feeders, and heavy fertilizing can lead to tall, floppy plants.
Deadheading. Removing spent flowers encourages more blooms. Cut back the stems as the blooms fade to encourage further flowering.
At a glance
How purple coneflower compares with other flowers
Worked out from the growing facts of the 79 seeds in Flowers on SeedBattle.
- Purple Coneflower
- Each of the other flowers
- Their average
- Germination timeSlower to sprout than average
10–20 days
Average for flowers: 12 days, from 42 other seeds
- Germination temperatureCooler than average
18–21 °C64–70 °F
Average for flowers: 21 °C70 °F, from 40 other seeds
- Sowing depthAbout average
3 mm⅛ in
Average for flowers: 4 mm⅛ in, from 25 other seeds
- HeightAbout average
46–91 cm1½–3 ft
Average for flowers: 70 cm2½ ft, from 68 other seeds
04 · Problems
Common purple coneflower problems
Pests and disease. Japanese beetles and leaf spot are occasional problems. Aphids can also damage plants. Aster yellows is a disease spread by leafhoppers; infected plants should be removed and destroyed.
Rabbits and deer. Rabbits can eat foliage down to the ground. Some guides call purple coneflower deer resistant, while another says it is not deer-resistant.
Self-seeding. The plant often reseeds itself in the garden.
Purple Coneflower questions
How long do purple coneflower seeds take to germinate?
Seeds usually germinate in about 10 to 20 days when the seed bed is kept misted and warm.
Can I grow purple coneflower in a pot?
A source lists purple coneflower as a container plant.
When should I plant purple coneflower?
Fall is considered the best time to plant, and seed can be sown in spring once the soil is warm.
How tall does purple coneflower grow?
Plants usually reach 1½ to 3 feet (46–91 cm) tall.
Quick answers
More purple coneflower questions
Short answers taken from the growing facts on this page.
How deep should I sow purple coneflower seeds?
Sow them 3 mm⅛ in deep.
How much sun does purple coneflower need?
Purple coneflower grows in full sun or partial shade.
What temperature do purple coneflower seeds need to sprout?
Purple coneflower seeds germinate at 18–21 °C64–70 °F.
Can purple coneflower survive frost?
Yes. Purple coneflower is hardy.
Is purple coneflower an annual or a perennial?
Purple coneflower is a perennial.
What soil pH does purple coneflower need?
Aim for soil at pH 6.0–8.0.
Side by side
Compare purple coneflower with…
Two seeds, every growing fact lined up, so you can pick the one that suits your space.
Flowers
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