#Purple coneflower when to plant full

They can also be bothered by leaf miners, powdery mildew, bacterial spots, gray mold, vine weevils, and Japanese beetles.Average Water Needs Water regularly do not overwater Sun Exposure: There’s no cure, so once you notice a plant is infected, dig it up immediately and throw it away. The organism is spread by sap-sucking insects like leafhoppers (and can also be spread on pruners during deadheading). Symptoms are deformed flowers, sometimes with weird tufts in the cones, and yellow leaves with green veins. Some gardeners choose a middle ground and collect the seeds and plant them in carefully selected spots for the following season.ĭiseases and pests: One problem worth noting in Echinacea is “aster yellows,” a virus-like disease caused by a phytoplasma. Deadheading can help to control this if they are getting out of hand. If spent flowers are left intact, they will reseed with little effort on your part. Propagation: Divide clumps when crowded, about every 4 years. Coneflowers need at least an inch of water weekly. Water regularly, but let soil dry out in between. Watering: Tolerant of drought, but does best in average, dry to medium moisture. Be careful, over-feeding can lead to an abundance of foliage and a lack of flowers. Or, if you prefer to leave the dried seed heads, it can be cut down in early spring.Īmendments & fertilizer: Work a bit of compost in around the plants if flowers are small or poorly developed.

Once your coneflower has finished blooming, it can be cut down to ground level to over-winter. Flowers appearing post-deadheading can be smaller and less satisfying, so why not just leave the first, bigger flowers to go to seed and give the birds a feast? That way you can leave them be, guaranteeing food for another beloved category of wildlife-birds, particularly small songbirds like goldfinches, which are crazy about the seeds. Pruning: Though deadheading is a common garden practice to encourage repeat blooming, many varieties these days are flower machines and will keep producing without snipping off spent blooms. These easy-care perennials require only the basics: regular watering of about an inch per week, a light layer of compost added in the spring, and to be cut back in fall, and even that’s optional if you prefer to leave the seed heads. Purple coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea) is a popular perennial in Zones 3-9. See more Bee-Friendly Flowers & Plants for Hummingbirds. Other pollinators, such as honeybees and hummingbirds will visit Echinacea too. Each composite flower (actually a compact arrangement of ray and disk flowers) offers up a fully loaded buffet table for butterflies. For weeks, even months, during the summer and fall the blooms and seed heads will attract a multitude of winged beauties. Other animals that may take a taste include rabbits, squirrels and woodchucks.ĭo coneflowers attract bees and butterflies? If you want to enjoy butterflies and songbirds in your garden plant coneflowers. However, if deer are hungry enough, they will eat almost anything. Their spiny centers and strong aroma deter deer. pallida are commonly used in herbal remedies.Īre coneflowers deer resistant? Many gardeners report that they are deer resistant. All are native to the U.S., found in areas across the Midwest and South. Types: While the purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, is most familiar to gardeners, there are other varieties including E. (See more full-sun perennials.)īloom time: Varies by species and cultivar, but bloom times usually range from June to August or later.įlower color: Most well-known are the purple coneflowers, but pink, red, orange, white, yellow and green varieties are available. Some may tolerate partial shade, and in hotter southern climates, some light afternoon shade can prevent burning.

#Purple coneflower when to plant full

Height/Spread: : Varieties 2 to 5 feet tall and 1-1/2 to 2 feet wide.Įxposure: Varies by species and zone, but typically thrive in full sun.

Zones: Varies, but species range from Zones 3 through 9.