London - When you mention echinacea, most people think of the herbal remedy taken to combat colds and flu. But to a gardener, it brings to mind a plant prized for its late-summer flowers.
The tablets, tonics and other medicinal products found in pharmacies and health-food shops are derived from the roots, leaves and flowers of Echinacea purpurea. Commonly known as coneflower, this statuesque plant boasts masses of 5in-wide, magenta-coloured flowers carried on branched stems from mid-summer until the first frosts of autumn. Its showy blooms are rich in nectar, attracting bees and butterflies into the garden.
It belongs to a large tribe of clump-forming perennials that are ideal for adding a splash of late colour to beds, borders and pots. There are more than 160 varieties ranging in height from 21in to 5ft, with flowers in many shades of white, yellow, orange, green, pink, purple and red.
The flowers are distinctive. Petals radiate from a raised central cone – its spiky look explains its botanical name echinacea, which comes from the Greek word echinos, meaning sea urchin.
Echinaceas originate from North America. Native American Indians dubbed it the ‘sacred herb’ because they believed the plant could cure a wide range of problems.
Echinacea purpurea first arrived on European shores in 1699 after plants were collected by John Banister, a prolific plant-hunter.
Very few new varieties appeared over the next three centuries. That all changed in 2000 when E. purpurea ‘Razzmatazz’ was unveiled. The world’s first double-flowered echinacea led to a surge in their popularity and breeders endeavoured to satisfy demand by creating others with unique flowers and habits of growth.
E. purpurea ‘Fatal Attraction’ is a fairly new introduction from Holland with pink flowers held on dark black stems, while ‘Sunrise’ has 4in-wide butter-yellow blooms.
Perhaps the most distinctive of all is ‘Green Envy’, a 2ft-tall variety from the US that has flowers with pink and lime-green petals encircling a glowing purple cone.
They may have drop-dead gorgeous flowers, but the foliage of coneflowers is largely unremarkable: lance-shaped, bristly, dark-green leaves. Yet there are exceptions. ‘Sparkler’ has leaves speckled liberally with silver, and those of ‘Prairie Frost’ have creamy white borders. Both have purple flowers with an orange-brown cone.
For my money, echinaceas are at their best in a modern, prairie-style display alongside rudbeckia, asters, helenium, monarda and feathery grasses.
They prefer to be grown in the sunniest spot possible, but will tolerate light shade. Echinaceas are not particularly fussy about the type of soil they’re planted in, so long as it’s free-draining.
Aim to plant new specimens by early autumn to allow plants to establish in the ground before temperatures dive.
To get them off to a flying start, improve the soil prior to planting by digging in plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost, then spread a 2in layer of mulch over the surface. Compact varieties are perfect in 12 to 18in pots filled with a gritty soil-based compost.
Elevate containers on to pot feet to allow excess moisture to drain away or move them into a dry spot later in the year to prevent compost becoming too soggy in winter.
These plants require very little attention. Unlike many other perennials, echinaceas rarely need supporting as the flower stems are fairly thick. Only those planted in a windy or exposed position are likely to need shoring up with bamboo canes.
Either dead-head fading blooms to encourage new flowers or allow them to turn into seed heads, which will provide food for foraging birds. Cut the stems to ground level in late winter, carefully avoiding new shoots from the crown.
Every three to four years, divide echinaceas in spring to ensure they remain vigorous and within bounds. Lift large clumps from the ground with a fork and split into several smaller pieces.
Add plenty of well-rotted compost to the soil, replant and sprinkle some general purpose plant food over the surface. - Daily Mail