The purple coneflower is a valuable medicinal plant that should not be missing in any garden. Read more about growing and caring for this plant here.
The bright pink and orange-red flowering coneflower is one of the best-known medicinal plants in our gardens. Echinacea, as it is called botanically, is primarily used to treat colds, but it is also used to generally strengthen the immune system and to heal injuries.
The red coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is very suitable as a cut plant, which is why it is now available in garden stores in different flower colors, including white - but not to be confused with the yellow coneflower (Rudbeckia).
Extension
The purple coneflower prefers to grow in a sunny location that is as sheltered as possible from the wind. If you are not already using this plant as a perennial in the garden, you can sow the seeds of the plant outdoors in spring (April - May). Always cover the seeds 2 centimeters thick with soil.
The red coneflower is ideal as a perennial plant in colorful flower borders, and can reach a height of up to 120 centimetres. If it likes its location, it spreads like lightning and at the same time magically attracts the most colorful butterflies.
» Tip:
You should cut off the purple coneflower every 3 years after flowering, carefully separate it with a spade and lift it out of the ground. You can then replant the separated plants in a new, nutrient-rich location. If you transplant or divide the perennial, then you will get the most of the flowering power of the parent plant.
Care
Fertilize:
The robust, hardy coneflower loves nutrient-rich soil, which is why you should work plenty of compost into the soil around the perennial in spring and autumn. It is then hardly necessary to add fertilizer.
Pruning:
Furthermore, the red coneflower blooms continuously from August until autumn, and you have to remove the faded parts of the plant from time to time.
In autumn, after flowering, you should cut back the perennials completely - up to 10centimeters above ground level. If you do not use the perennials for further processing, then you should do so in the spring, because the fruit heads (seeds) of the red coneflower are an important source of food for the birds in winter.
Casting:
The purple coneflower generally does not tolerate waterlogging. He can even go several days without water. On hot days, however, you should water it regularly.
Harvest and further processing
The blooming herb of the purple coneflower is usually harvested. In the first year, however, you should only cut from the end of August to September. In the second year you may be able to make another cut at the end of October.
If you want to make the purple coneflower into tea, you must then dry it as soon as possible at around 45 degrees. You can also process the fresh parts of the plant (green stalks, blossom base) into honey (prepare with blossom honey or mountain honey).
If the plant needs to be divided, you can also use the roots of the coneflower to make tea. To do this, clean the roots well, chop them up and also dry them.