Echinacea, Eastern purple coneflower, Hedge Coneflower, Black Sampson, Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Pink, Purple, Red, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early fall, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Upright or erect.
Echinacea purpurea is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Dry open woods, prairies and barrens.
N. America - Virginia to Ohio and Michigan, south to Georgia and Louisiana.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Leaves. No more details are given.
Medicine
Rating: 5
Echinacea is considered to be the most effective detoxicant in Western herbal medicine for the circulatory, lymphatic and respiratory systems. Its use has also been adopted by Ayurvedic medicine. Plants in this genus were probably the most frequently used of N. American Indian herbal remedies. They had a very wide range of applications and many of these uses have been confirmed by modern science. This species is the most easily cultivated of the genus and so has been more generally adopted for its medicinal uses. The plant has a general stimulatory effect on the immune system and is widely used in modern herbal treatments. In Germany over 200 pharmaceutical preparations are made from Echinacea. There has been some doubt over the ability of the body to absorb the medicinally active ingredients orally (intravenous injections being considered the only effective way to administer the plant), but recent research has demonstrated significant absorption from orally administered applications. The roots and the whole plant are considered particularly beneficial in the treatment of sores, wounds, burns etc, possessing cortisone-like and antibacterial activity. The plant was used by N. American Indians as a universal application to treat the bites and stings of all types of insects. An infusion of the plant was also used to treat snakebites. The root is adaptogen, alterative, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, depurative, diaphoretic, digestive, sialagogue. It is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Echinacea for common cold, cough and bronchitis, fevers and cold, urinary tract infections, inflammation of the mouth and pharynx, increase resistance to infection, wounds and burns.
Adaptogen: Helps the body
Alterative: Causes a gradual beneficial change in the body, usually through improved nutrition and elimination, without having any marked specific action.
Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.
Aphrodisiac: Increases the sexual appetite.
Depurative: Eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood.
Digestive: Aids digestion.
Sialagogue: Stimulates the secretion of saliva.
Urinary: Treats urinary problems, including urinary tract infection (UTI).
Other
Rating: 2
Nectar for insects, Deer resistant foliage.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses: Border, Container, Massing, Seashore, Specimen. Prefers a deep rich loam with plenty of leafmold and a sunny position. Succeeds in dry soils and tolerates drought once it is established. Prefers a good light soil. A very ornamental plant, there are some named varieties. Slugs love this plant. Special Features:Attracts birds, North American native, Edible, Naturalizing, Attracts butterflies, Suitable for cut flowers, Suitable for dried flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread. The root pattern is a tap root similar to a carrot going directly down.
Propagating it: Seed - sow March/April in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Diurnal temperature fluctuations aid germination. The seed usually germinates in 10 - 21 days at 25°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for the first summer. Plant them out in the late spring or early summer of the following year and give them some protection from slugs at least until they are established. Division in spring or autumn. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. Root cuttings, October in a frame.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 3-10
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Possible suppression of immunity with habitual use. High doses over 1000 mg may cause dizziness. Use of herb for 10-14 days recommended followed by a short break.
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
Brauneria purpurea. Echinacea intermedia. Echinacea serotina. Rudbeckia purpurea.