Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea • Asteraceae
🌱 Seed Category
Flower
🌍 Origin Region
Eastern and central North America
📅 Days to Maturity
90-120 days from seed to first bloom, perennial that blooms throughout the summer.
🌡️ Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9, herbaceous perennial.
About This Seed
Seeds are small, dark brown to black, elongated, four-sided, and tapered shaped like tiny little spikes or darts. The resulting plant features sturdy stems, coarse dark green leaves, and prominent daisy-like flowers with distinctive raised central cones surrounded by pink to purple petals.
Growing Information
Growing Season
Spring, start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost or direct sow after frost
Germination
Germinates in 10-20 days at 65-70°F. Light aids germination, so do not cover deeply. Cold stratification for 2-4 weeks can improve germination rates.
Planting Instructions
Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep, spaced 12-18 inches apart in well-draining loamy or sandy soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily). Water regularly until established, highly drought-tolerant once mature.
Companion Plants
Companions well with black-eyed Susans, ornamental grasses, bee balm, and salvias; avoid planting with allelopathic species that stunt growth.
Special Characteristics
Highly attractive to pollinators like bees and butterflies, deer resistant, heat and drought tolerant, and has traditional medicinal uses.