Purple coneflower edible series#

The lancolate, ovate, green leaves have a rough texture and serrated or dentate margins. From April until September, the flowers are in bloom. Flowers can be found on a single stem, and the plant has smooth stems that are 2 to 5 feet tall. The Greek word echinos, which means hedgehog in allusion to the bristly seed tops, served as the inspiration for the genus name Echinacea. purpurea with drooping rays that range in color from lavender to pink and a brownish central disk that contains numerous spiny seeds. purpurea prefers sandy or loamy soil that is well drained. In the eastern to central United States, E. purpurea is currently present in at least 27 states and two Canadian provinces, it originated originally from the northeast of Texas. Geographic Distribution and HabitatĪlthough E. Asteraceae is the family of plants that includes Echinacea purpurea. These include the narrow-leaf coneflower, Echinacea angustifolia, and the sanguine purple coneflower, Echinacea sanguinea, which served as the foundation for early medicinal studies on the genus (TWC Staff, 2013, Brinker, 2013). There are 11 plants in the Echinacea genus, the majority of which are regarded as coneflowers. Which part of a purple coneflower has medicinal properties? Early in the autumn, some plants could bloom once again. Echinacea blooms around the middle of the summer and lasts for approximately a month before going into short-term hibernation. The flowers range in color from deep purple to pink, and the florets form a towering seed cone. With its daisy-like purple/pink flowers and spiky seed cones, this heat- and drought-resistant shrub is highly distinctive. The name echinacea, which refers to the spiny center cone, is derived from the Greek word “echinos,” which means hedgehog. In addition to offering several health advantages, it is also used as wild edible food. Indigenous people have historically utilized it as a medicinal herb in North America. This well-liked plant has been a staple in perennial gardens for more than 200 years. The herbaceous perennial plant echinacea, also referred to as purple coneflower, has four species and six variants that are all native to North America. Please shop at our store to support our work (books with medicinal info, etc.). Take it with food or a big glass of water instead. Take echinacea three times daily for the first ten days of a cold, flu, upper respiratory infection, or bladder infection to stimulate the immune system generally.Įchinacea should NOT be taken on an empty stomach. Ecological considerations aside, some new varieties don’t seem to be as long lived as the true natives.To determine pediatric dose, see your child’s pediatrician or a herbalist with experience treating young patients. Less genetic diversity transmitted to the next generation of plants leaves echinacea species’ at risk for disease and decay of their genetic line. This means they are genetic clones of each other and do not contribute to genetic diversity within the Echinacea gene pool. Humans reproduce most hybrid varieties through vegetative propagation, either by tissue culture or by cuttings and divisions. However, preliminary studies on the subject suggests some single flowered hybrids are as attractive to pollinators as their parent plants.Īdditionally, some hybrid varieties are sterile and do not produce viable seeds to support seed eating birds. We know that hybrid echinaceas with double and triple blooms are useless to pollinators because the extra petals block nectar and pollen. Native coneflowers are excellent food sources for pollinators, but the jury is still out on whether hybrids are as beneficial. All of the varieties shown in this post will be available at our fall plant sale! Cons

Purple coneflower edible series#

‘Salsa’ Echinacea is from the Sombrero series of coneflowers offered by Walter’s Garden.