Coneflower - Narrowleaf

The best Echinacea for medicinal use. We regularly make tincture from the tap root of this drought tolerant perennial. Pale purple flowers are smaller than its showy cousin, Purple Cone Flower but make equally long-lived cut flowers. Deer resistant plants grow from 30-100cm and prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Beneficial insects are drawn to the flowers which open early to mid summer and continue until fall when birds flock to the ripening seed heads for a meal.

Echinacea angustifolia

Hardiness zone: 3-8

Bloom type: Perennial

Sow indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost date or direct seed outdoors in spring when soil has warmed. To start indoors give seeds a period of cold moist stratification to enhance germination. To cold moist stratify place seed in a damp paper towel, roll up, and place in a plastic bag in the fridge for 60-90 days. Remove form fridge and sow seeds 3mm deep and keep in a warm place (20-25 degrees Celsius)  in total darkness until germination occurs. Place in bright light once seedlings are visible. Transplant to the garden in late spring spacing plants 20-30 cm apart in full sun and well-drained soil. Plants have a taproot and resent transplanting so plant when young and don’t disturb until it is time to dig roots for medicine.