How to Grow Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)

The purple coneflower is a North American native perennial (it comes back year after year) that grows to 3 feet and has purple or white daisy-like flowers in summer.

Things You'll Need

• Bypass Pruners
• Compost Makers
• Fertilizers
• Garden Trowels
• Mulch
• Plants

Instructions

Planting a Purple Coneflower

1. Plant in full sun in a spot with well-drained soil.

2. Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting hole.

3. Set the plants 1 foot apart.

4. 

   Place the plants no deeper than they were growing in their containers.

5. 

   Mulch around, but not on top of, the plants with 3 inches of organic compost.

6. Water well until the soil is completely moist.

Caring for Purple Coneflowers

1. Cut off the base of old flower stems using bypass pruners.

2. Trim off old leaves in early spring with scissors.

3. Mulch around, but not on top of, the plants with 3 inches of organic compost in spring.

4. Water until soil is completely moist; do this weekly in summers with no rainfall.

Choosing a Purple Coneflower

1. Buy purple coneflowers in spring and summer. They may be purchased in fall in milder climates.

2. Look for plants at nurseries in 4-inch to 1-gallon pots.

3. Choose healthy-looking plants with signs of new leaves and buds in spring and summer and that are still green in fall.