Asteraceae · Echinacea purpurea
Also known as: Purple Coneflower
Cost per seed: $0.02
Attractive purple flowers. Has many medicinal uses. Good for borders, bush gardens and as a cut flower.
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Deadhead echinacea flowers regularly during the growing season. Using sharp secateurs or snips cut fading or dead flowers off just above a set of leaves. Removing old flowers regularly will encourage plants to produce more flowers.
Echinacea plants may die back in cold weather. Cut plants back just above ground level in late autumn, or prune off dead foliage when new leaves emerge in spring.
Common Problems: Downy mildew, Slugs and snails,
Echinacea flowers are ready to harvest when the buds begin to open. Using sharp secateurs or snips cut the flower heads. Flowers can be used fresh or dried. To dry leaves and flowers, spread them on a wire rack in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight until they feel dry and crispy.
Store leaves and flower heads in an airtight container.
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