Echinacea is a genus of plants belonging to the Asteraceae family. It includes 9 species native to North America. For lovers of growing plants in gardens, theEchinacea(Echinacea purpurea) is the best known. See why you should be interested in this plant, what its uses and properties, and what it looks likegrowing Echinaceain the garden.
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea(Echinacea purpurea) is a rhizome perennial, completely frost-resistant in our climate.Echinacea is a perfect decoration for garden discounts from the middle of summer to October. Rigid, rough stems are single or branched at the top. Plants can reach 1.5 m in height, yet they do not overlap and do not require supports. The leaves are green, lanceolate, up to 20 cm long, arranged in a straight line.Purple Echinacea inflorescences , up to 15 cm in diameter, grow from the stems one at a time. They consist of lingual flowers (petals) radiating from a conical center formed by tubular flowers.
Echinacea purpurea - use and properties
The use of purple coneflowerin the garden is primarily planting in perennial beds. Echinacea is especially good growing in a group. They are excellent plants for large herbal and naturalistic gardens as well as for cut flowers and dry bouquets. Echinacea is a honey plant that attracts not only useful bees to the garden, but also butterflies.The high usefulness ofEchinacea for growing in the gardenis also determined by one more advantage of these plants - they are extremely rarely attacked by diseases or pests.
It is also worth mentioning that the popularity of these plants was determined not only by their decorative qualities, but alsohealing properties of EchinaceaFor centuries, Indians have used Echinacea as a panacea for snake bites and healing wounds , for a sore throat and burns. This plant is credited with supporting our immunity, which is why it is recommended for the treatment of colds. Flowers collected during full flowering, or roots harvested in autumn from four-year-old specimens are used for medicinal purposes.
Growing Echinacea
Echinacea purpurea grows best in full sun ( although it also tolerates partial shade), in fertile, humus-rich, fairly moist but well-drained soil. It can be grown from sowing seeds. Then the seeds are sown in March under cover or in April directly into the ground.Grown from seed, it requires picking and transplanting to a permanent place in September. A less troublesomeway to grow Echinacea , recommended for amateurs, is to plant rhizomes in spring. In gardening stores, the selection of rhizomes of different varieties is quite large, you can find plants with flowers in a full range of colors. If we want to increase the number of our Echinacea collection, these plants can be propagated in spring by dividing rhizomes or by root cuttings.
Important in growing Echinacea :
- the soil around the plants should be mulched
- To extend the flowering of Echinacea, remove blown-up inflorescences
- you have to cut the stalks before winter comes
- Echinacea do not tolerate transplanting well
