Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower seeds

Description

Echinacea purpurea is a hardy, herbaceous perennial grown for its bold daisy-like flowers, long blooming season, and traditional medicinal use. Native to central and eastern North America, it adapts well to New Zealand conditions and is valued both as a garden ornamental and a useful species in herbal plantings.

The flower heads are striking — purple petals surrounding a raised, orange-brown central cone — and attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. It blooms over a long period from mid-summer through early autumn. The roots and, to a lesser extent, the flowers and seeds are used in herbal preparations, often in teas or tinctures associated with immune support.

Plants reach 60–120 cm tall, forming upright clumps that spread slowly over time. Echinacea prefers full sun and well-drained soil but tolerates a wide range of conditions once established, including clay and periods of drought. It is cold-hardy to around –35°C and reliably perennial in temperate gardens throughout New Zealand.

Germination and Cold Stratification:
Seed benefits from 4–6 weeks of cold, moist stratification at 1–5°C to improve germination rates and uniformity. After stratification, sow into warm soil (18–22°C). Germination usually takes 10–21 days.

Outdoor Stratification Tip:
In cooler regions, Echinacea seeds can be sown in autumn in trays or pots and left outdoors in a protected, rodent-proof spot. Natural winter chill will prepare them for spring germination as temperatures begin to rise.