Echinacea belongs to the genus Echinacea of ​​the same name, earlier it was attributed to the genus Rudbeckia. Both of these genera are included in the numerous and rich in cultivated plants family Astrov (Composite). Understanding the difference between echinacea and rudbeckia at first glance is really difficult. The shape of the flowers is very similar, and the difference in color (in echinacea - purple-pink, yellow, orange, brownish shades are characteristic of rudbeckia) cannot be considered significant. The first person to cause confusion was none other than Carl Linnaeus, who described the rose-petaled plant and named the purple echinacea (title photo) Rudbeckia purpurea in honor of his teacher - Olaf Rudbek.

Forty years later, the German botanist Moench corrected the mistake by highlighting generic differences: the difference is not only in color, but also in the structure of the bracts, that is, small leaves surrounding the inflorescence - in echinacea they are characteristic, prickly and hard, in rudbeckia they are completely different - soft. Hence the name - Echinacea (echinos in Greek - prickly).

It is noteworthy that both plants are native to North America. They have their names - Purple Coneflower (purple cone) for echinacea, and Black Eyed Susan (black-eyed Susanna) for rudbeckia. In general, of course, both genera, both Echinacea and Rudbeckia are very close, but it should be understood that this is a difference at the level of the genus, not the species.

In the title photo, purple echinacea - Echinacea Purpurea

plant description

Echinacea is a perennial rhizomatous plant, the stem is straight, branched, rough, although it is easy to distinguish the main and side ones. Leaves of two types, basal and stem. The height of the plant is about a meter, although now there are short, and even miniature varieties. The flowers are baskets, rather large, reed flowers in Echinacea purpurea are pink with a purple tint, in other species of other shades, tubular flowers are very characteristic, form a small cone, saturated red-brown. It blooms in the second half of summer, long enough - for two months, from July to September.

Modern varieties of echinacea are not only purple, but also peach, white, milky, vanilla, yellow, raspberry, wine, orange.

Echinacea flowers only partly resemble chamomile, belonging to the same family makes itself felt, in general, the image is completely different - brighter, juicier, original, decorative. Echinacea has a lot of advantages as an ornamental plant: it is unpretentious, it has large expressive flowers that appear within two months, the flowering is very plentiful, creating the effect of a carpet. In addition, it is an excellent neighbor for many crops and has medicinal properties, which we will discuss below.

Species and varieties

The genus Echinacea includes 9 species, and, which is quite rare, all of them may be of interest to gardeners. The most common:

1. Echinacea purpurea (Echinacea purpurea)- it was she who became the ancestor of the mass of modern varieties. The flowers are large, up to 15 cm, the core is in the form of a dome or cone, often in a contrasting shade, making the flowers even more expressive.
2. Echinacea strange (Echinacea paradoxa)- also very decorative. In addition, the only species of Echinacea is the owner of bright yellow flowers.

Echinacea paradoxa

The best varieties of purple echinacea (they are well known to many gardeners): White Swan(the color of flowers is like that of daisies, the center is convex, expressive), Cranberry Cupcake(double, pink-purple), The King(a tall variety, very large flowers with light pinkish petals and a core similar to a convex large button), Indiaca(tall, centers look like small hedgehog cones, petals are long, thin, of different shades), Magnus(very high, up to 1 meter tall, flowers are very bright, pink, the center is also rich pink-red).

A selection of some other showy modern strains, these are relatively new:

Colorburst Orange - double dense flowers of a very rich shade of orange.

Butterflies Rainbow Marcella is a variety with two-tone flowers: orange sherbet petals with a transition to pink.

Supreme Cantaloupe - ripe mango flowers.

Greenline cultivar, with lime petals, with dark green thickening towards the center. The center is yellow.

Tiki Torch - orange flowers with a velvety brown center.

Supreme Flamingo - coral orange pomop flowers, really resemble flamingos.

Puff Vanilla - vanilla terry clouds.

Pink Poodle - pink pom-pom flowers.

Charming compact border variety - Pink Fascinator

Variety Aloha - hot flowers with sunny petals and a rich dense yellow-orange center.

Conefections Cherry Fluff - original lime green center, creme brulee petals.

Conefections Marmalade - double, really marmalade orange flowers.

Variety Cone Fections Hot Papaya with juicy red petals and an original flower shape - reed flowers are very long.

Landing

In nature, Echinacea grows in the woodlands of the southeastern United States. These are fertile, light, moist and open areas. The choice of a place is important not only in order to immediately create favorable conditions for Echinacea, but also because it does not require a transplant for 5 years. Echinacea is planted only in sunny areas. Sometimes in the photo you can see it in partial shade, but keep in mind that this is most likely a temporary shadow, for example, several hours a day. In partial shade and shade, echinacea grows poorly and may even die.

Echinacea is not too demanding on the soil, with the exception of light sandy soils - such soil should be made more “solid” by adding components that improve its moisture capacity and viscosity (organic matter is added, claying is carried out).

The plants are planted in small holes, compost is added to each hole before planting. Depth - about 5 cm, distance between plants - 30 cm.

On sale sometimes there are adult echinacea in pots or containers - they can be transplanted into the open ground at any time of the warm season. Transplanted by transshipment, it is not necessary to deepen, that is, the plant should remain at the same level as in the pot. The soil in the planting pit, of course, should be prepared: it is filled with nutritious light soil so that the potted plant planted in concentrated nutrient soil does not feel too sharp a contrast and takes root better.

reproduction

seeds

A plant grown from seeds will bloom in a year and a half. Sowing is carried out on seedlings, or immediately in open ground.

seedling method

Sowing is carried out at the end of February. Seeds are laid out on the surface, lightly sprinkled with sand, moistened with a spray bottle. The ideal temperature for the germination of echinacea seeds is +13 °C. Germination takes quite a long time - about 1.5 months. In the first few weeks, seedlings need moisture and warmth - an indoor greenhouse (that is, a seed box covered with a film) is ideal. Seedlings are planted in open ground in May. Seedling care: watering as needed, loosening the soil.

By dividing the bush

Bushes are divided in the spring, in April. Delenki can be treated with a root formation stimulator, planted so that the root collars are at the level of the soil.

Care

It is simple, just a few steps:

• To enhance the effect of a bright carpet and get a longer flowering, wilted flowers are removed.
• Echinacea loves moisture, watered abundantly.
• During the growing season, if desired, they are fed with mineral and organic fertilizers: in the spring immediately after planting and in the summer during the formation of buds - echinacea is quite responsive to top dressing.
• In autumn, approximately at the end of October, the stems are cut off, humus is introduced into the ground around the plant, and the plant itself can be slightly mulched with dry leaves - although in a snowy winter it will have enough natural cover with snow.

Difficulties and problems

The plant is not painful, but in cold and rainy summers it can be affected by rot and powdery mildew.

Application in landscape design

1. Echinacea is suitable for garden fragrances. The plant is a wonderful honey plant, attracts bees and butterflies.
2. Looks good in gardens, better with a larger structure.

Variety Flamenco Orange as a solo accent

Wide border along the path of echinacea. In the background on the left side is a window sill.

In a mixborder with phlox and daylilies.

Echinacea purpurea, ‘Magnus’ and ‘White Swan’ varieties act as a kind of hedge.

How to Use Echinacea Flowers for Medicinal Purposes

Roots and flowers are used, to a lesser extent - leaves. Fresh is best, but dried is also available.

Flowers are collected only freshly blossomed, dried in the shade, stored for no more than six months. A tincture from the roots is equal in strength to a decoction of fresh flowers. Echinacea has a complex effect, slightly reminiscent of ginseng in strength and in the nature of its effect on the body. It can be added to tea or used instead of tea.

It is a plant stimulant of immunity, has an anti-allergic effect, stimulates the work of the central nervous system, is used to treat:

• infectious diseases
• respiratory and viral diseases,
• chronic autoimmune diseases (there are cases of curing some forms of lupus with echinacea),
• oncological diseases,
• chronic fatigue, depression,
• wounds and burns.

About growing from seeds - on video

Details of planting a medicinal perennial - in the blog "About Plants".

Echinacea, the planting and care of which will be described in this article, is a rather unpretentious plant, but at the same time it amazes everyone who catches their eye with its beauty. It is a well-known honey plant. By planting it on your site, you will attract a huge number of beneficial insects. It is known that from one hectare of land planted with these flowers, bees are able to collect from sixty to one hundred and thirty kilograms of honey. If you love bright and varied flowers, Echinacea, which, by the way, does not require much work to plant and care for, is just what you need. To date, you can find a huge number of different colors of this plant.

Echinacea: planting and care in the open field

Before deciding to plant echinacea, it is necessary to clearly understand that in the first year the plant forms only a rosette of leaves. Flowers appear in the second year. The place for this plant must be chosen only sunny. Unfortunately, in the shade, Echinacea is likely to die. Calculate the place so that, for at least five years, a tree does not suddenly grow next to the echinacea or some kind of building does not appear that blocks the sun. Soil will not be a problem. The only soil that this flower does not like is light sandy. Growth and development on such soil is very slow.

If you purchased an adult plant in a pot, and most likely you will, then dig a hole, the depth of which will be forty centimeters, and fill it with a soil composition of sand, earth and humus to a third of the depth. Echinacea roots should not be freed from the ground. The plant is carefully transferred from the container or pot into the prepared hole. Moreover, it is necessary to plant a bush at the same depth as it grew in a pot.

Remember to prune all stems as soon as the end of October comes. Also at this time, the root neck is mulched, using compost, followed by shelter with dry leaves. This preparation for winter will allow Echinacea to survive even if there is a severe frost and little snow.

Watering mode

Echinacea is very fond of water treatments. Bushes need to be watered abundantly. It is not worth doing this during the day, but in the evening - it's time. Such procedures cause grateful growth and development of the shrub, as well as abundant flowering. It is important to water regularly to prevent drying out and waterlogging of the soil.

Fertilizer

Any echinacea, including perennial echinacea, planting and caring for which will be discussed later in this article, responds very gratefully to the introduction of various nutrients. This plant needs to be fertilized annually. In one season, two top dressings are carried out. First, a week after planting in the ground, and then - during the period when the buds will form.

reproduction

Echinacea, the planting and care of which we discuss in this article, propagates quite easily with the help of seeds. They are planted either in specially prepared containers or in open ground.

Sowing seeds in pots produced at the end of February. The soil mixture is used for this purpose universal. But the seeds are sprinkled on top not with soil, but with a very thin layer of sand, which is moistened from a spray bottle. Seeds germinate for about a month and a half. In early May, germinated seedlings are planted in open ground. And now it remains only to regularly moisten and loosen the soil.

You can reproduce by dividing the bush. The best time to do this is in April. Each part must be immersed in a solution of a stimulating substance and seated without deepening the root collars into the ground. But keep in mind that such reproduction can lead to a long-term illness of the plant and even to its death. Therefore, such a procedure should be done with the utmost care.

Diseases and pests

In general, echinacea is considered a fairly resistant plant to various ailments. But still, if the summer was too rich in precipitation, and there was regular waterlogging, then you may well find rot or powdery mildew on your plant. In this case, immediately resort to the treatment of bushes with fungicides.

medicinal echinacea

As you know, many plants have, in addition to decorative appeal, a number of useful properties. These include medicinal, or perennial echinacea, the planting and care of which will be discussed later. The juice of this plant can significantly increase the body's ability to resist various infections. And the roots contain a huge amount of nutrients. They are mined at the end of summer, before the plant begins to fade completely, then they are crushed and an alcohol tincture is prepared. And tea from the inflorescences of this plant is also very useful, which you can brew throughout the summer. In addition, breaking off the inflorescences, you not only get a healing drink that strengthens the immune system, but also stimulates the echinacea to lay more and more new buds. And this means that your bush is becoming more magnificent and more beautiful. The most popular variety of this medicinal plant is Echinacea "Purple". It is best to use plants that are at least two years old for medical purposes.

Echinacea purpurea: planting and care

So that your echinacea will bloom in the first year, sow the seeds as early as February. In May, the resulting sprouts should already be placed in open ground. To provide the soil with nutrients, add manure and ash to it. Remember that manure must be rotted.

Seeds are collected in late summer or early autumn. When all the petals are dropped, prickly balls can be seen on the peduncles. Once these balls are dry, simply shake them over paper or cloth and you'll have seeds that need to be stored until February.

To grow and develop well, the flower needs the sunniest place. But at the same time, it should be regularly and plentifully watered. If moisture is insufficient, then the flower will grow weak, and development will be very slow.

In preparation for winter, the echinacea bush must be cut so that cuttings about five centimeters long remain. They should be well spudded and hidden under dry leaves or any other natural material. In winter, it is periodically necessary to cover the plant with snow.

Beautiful and fluffy

With all the variety of varieties, terry echinacea enjoys special love from flower growers. Planting and caring for it is carried out in the same way as for all more modest varieties. It is believed that these plants are a little more capricious, survive the winter worse and are sensitive to the regularity of soil moisture. Echinacea planting and care, which we discussed in the previous sections, does not like transplantation. It happens that after this procedure, the bushes get sick for a long time and bloom poorly.

Any Echinacea planting and caring for which should be regular goes well with daylilies and autumn asters. In addition, it is just an excellent neighbor in composition in landscape design for various cereal plants. That is why it is the favorite of many designers. From this plant create a huge amount of medicinal raw materials. At the same time, absolutely all of its parts are therapeutic. And from the leaves of echinacea, you can even prepare a tasty and healthy salad, rich in a lot of vitamins.

Echinacea (Echinacea) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Compositae (Asteraceae) family. Translated from Greek, the name means "prickly, like a hedgehog."

This is due to the shape of the inflorescence: the core consists of numerous tubular flowers (like a hedgehog), framed by petals of a bright color, like a chamomile. Echinacea was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and was assigned to the genus Rudbenkia, but after about 40 years it was separated into its own genus.

Botanical description

The plant is rhizomatous. Its height is 1-1.5 m. The stem is erect, rough. Basal leaves are wide, oval-shaped with serrated edges, attached on long petioles. Stem leaves almost sessile or sessile, lanceolate in shape, arranged alternately.

Inflorescences-baskets (characteristic of Compositae) are large. Marginal reed inflorescences (petals) are painted in white, pink, red. The core has a dark red, red-brown color. The fruit is a tetrahedral achene. Blooms from about mid-summer to late September.

Echinacea seeds photo

Generative (seed) propagation is applied to varietal plants (hybrids do not retain varietal characteristics during seed propagation).

Sowing in open ground

How to sow echinacea in the ground photo

• In open ground, echinacea seeds are sown in early spring or late autumn.
• Dig up the soil, level the bed, make shallow grooves (seeding depth 1-2 cm) at a distance of 20-25 cm, sow seeds less often, sprinkle with a thin layer of soil, water.
• The first shoots are thinned to a distance of 7-8 cm, then - 10-15, as a result, bushes are left at a distance of 25-30 cm for undersized varieties and 40-50 cm for powerful plants. excess plants can simply be transplanted to a new place as seedlings.
• In the first year, echinacea builds up the root system, and flowering will come in the next season.

Sowing seedlings at home

Echinacea from seeds at home photo shoots

To obtain ready-made seedlings for spring planting, it is necessary to grow seedlings.

Please note that the seeds have a hard shell, so before planting they should be soaked in warm water, or better, in a growth stimulator. Even in this case, germination takes about 1 month.

• Sowing echinacea seeds for seedlings should be done at the end of February. Sow in wooden boxes, containers, or single cups, as you wish.
• The soil should be light, permeable to water and air.
• Deepen the seeds by 5-10 mm.
• The distance between seeds is 5-7 cm.
• Moisten the crops, cover with a film, place in a bright place, maintain an air temperature of 13-15 ºC.
• When shoots appear, remove the film. Maintain moderate soil moisture.
• In early May, start hardening, leaving it outside, starting with a couple of hours, and gradually increase the time to a full day.
• Plant mature plants outdoors in May, when the soil is warm and the threat of frost has passed.

Planting echinacea in open ground

How to plant echinacea in open ground photo

Grows best in areas with bright sunlight.

The soil requires a fertile, neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Light sandy soils or soils that are too wet are absolutely not suitable. If the soil is acidic, add garden lime.

• For seedlings, dig holes about 5 cm deep, for divisions - a little more than the size of the root system.
• Keep a distance of about 30 cm between plantings. Place a small amount of compost at the bottom of the planting hole.

If you purchased a large seedling in a container, dig a hole about 40 cm deep. Cover a third of it with a mixture of garden soil, compost, sand in equal proportions. Cross the fathoms along with the earthy clod. The root collar should remain at the same level as when growing in a container.

How to care for echinacea in the garden

• Water the echinacea generously and often. Do it better in the evening.
• Remove weeds regularly, periodically loosen the soil.
• From the second year of life, start feeding. Twice a season (in early spring and after flowering), apply organic or complex mineral fertilizer.
• If there is no need to collect seeds, cut the wilted inflorescences with a segment of the stem to the first green leaf.

Reproduction of echinacea by dividing the bush

Most often, the plant is propagated by dividing the bush (thus varietal characteristics are preserved). You can divide the echinacea bush 4-5 years old. The procedure is carried out in spring (April) or autumn. Carefully dig a bush, divide into parts so that each contains 3-4 growth buds, plant.

Diseases and pests of echinacea

If the summer is rainy with temperature fluctuations, powdery mildew is possible: the shoots and leaves are covered with a whitish bloom. It can also happen from an excess of nitrogen fertilizers. It is necessary to carry out the treatment with Bordeaux liquid or colloidal sulfur.

Cercosporosis, septoria - dangerous fungal diseases, manifested by various spots on the leaves. The plant becomes weak and may die. Remove affected areas, treat with fungicide.

When affected by viral diseases, the leaves turn yellow and dry, flower stalks are deformed. Affected plants must be removed from the site and burned, treat the growth site with a strong solution of manganese.

Pests: bedbugs, slobbering pennitsa, slugs. Collect gastropods manually, use traps. Insecticide treatment will help get rid of insects.

Seed collection

How to collect echinacea seeds photo

Seed maturation is uneven. When the center of the core darkens, these seeds can be harvested. Carefully remove them (it is better to wear a rag glove), clean them from the remnants of the inflorescences and dry them. Seeds quickly lose their germination.

wintering echinacea

Echinacea is frost resistant. Young plants and, if a cold, snowless winter is foreseen, should be covered for the winter. At the end of October, cut the stems, mulch the root neck with compost, cover with dry foliage and spruce branches on top.

Types and varieties of echinacea with photos and names

In the natural environment, there are only 9 types of echinacea. Basically, purple echinacea with bred varieties and hybrids is grown culturally, less often - strange echinacea.

Echinacea purpurea

Echinacea purpurea echinacea purpurea cultivar rubinstern photo

The height of the plant is about 1 m. The stems are erect. Basal leaves are wide, oval, attached on long petioles; stem - oblong, sessile. Reed flowers are about 4 cm long, have a purple-pink color, the core is red-brown.

Varieties:

Granatstem - the height of the plant reaches 1.3 m. Reed flowers have two-toothed tops, are painted in a purple hue, the core is brown. Inflorescence diameter - 13 cm.

Zonnenlach - reaches a height of 1.4, the diameter of the basket is 10 cm. The tops of the reed inflorescences are divided into 3 teeth, the color is dark red, the core is brown.

Echinacea purpurea terry variety Cranberry Cupcake photo

Cranberry Cupcake is a very interesting strain. The core is massive, lush, consists of hundreds of small tongues, the color is dark pink, the petals are painted light purple.

The King - the stem rises to 2 m. The massive inflorescence reaches a diameter of 15 cm. The color is red-pink.

Echinacea purple white variety Echinacea purpurea White Swan photo

White Swan - white inflorescences.

Indiaca - color range from pale pink to light brown.

Echinacea purple variety Magnus Echinacea Purpurea ‘Magnus’ photo

Magnus - plant height is 1 m. A very popular variety. The core has a light brown color, the petals are pale pink.

Ruby star - echinacea 70-80 cm high, basket diameter - about 14 cm. The core is brown, the petals are raspberry.

Echinacea Sunset Echinacea x sunset

Echinacea Sunset Echinacea x sunset photo

A series of hybrids bred by Richard Skol. They are notable for large inflorescences. Reed inflorescences are bent, can have the color of mango, mustard, strawberry, peach, exude a wonderful aroma. Henna color core.

Popular varieties:

Julia (from the Butterfly Kisses series) - reaches a height of 45 cm. The flowers are bright orange.

Cleopatra - the diameter of the inflorescence is 7.5 cm. The petals are sunny yellow.

Echinacea Evening Glow photo

Evening Glow - the core is cone-shaped, dark in color. Reed flowers are yellow in color with an orange stripe and a pinkish tint.

Muskmelon - the color corresponds to the name. Reed flowers are arranged in 2 rows, have a pink-orange hue, the core is shaggy, of a darker shade.

Echinacea Passion Flute photo

Passion Flute - reed inflorescences are twisted into a tube, painted in golden yellow, the core has a greenish-mustard hue.

Echinacea Double Scoop Cranberry photo

Double Scoop Cranberry is a catchy cranberry-colored echinacea.

Echinacea strange Echinacea paradoxa

Echinacea strange Echinacea paradoxa in garden design photo

It is notable for the bright yellow color of the long petals bent down. The plant forms powerful bushes, hardy in dry summer conditions.

Echinacea in landscape design

Echinacea in landscape design photo with other flowers

Echinacea is good in group plantings, as a decorative element of the background and middle ground in mixborders. It is combined with phlox, aster, monarda, blackhead, geyhera, antenaria, salvia, aruncus, hydrangea, lilies, astilbe, fescue, Japanese spirea, bluebells, catnip, veronica, look great against the background of coniferous bushes and trees.

How to plant echinacea flower beds photo

An interesting combination of echinacea in group plantings with flowers such as ornamental yarrow, physostegia, alder-leaved cletra.

Medicinal properties of echinacea

The rhizome contains essential and fatty oils, enzymes, resins, various trace elements (silver, selenium, manganese, zinc, calcium, potassium). The ground part is rich in polysaccharides, tannins, flavonoids, organic and oxybrown acids, essential oils, resins.

Preparations from echinacea (plant juice, decoction, tincture) have antiviral, antimicrobial, antifungal, wound-healing effects, strengthen the immune system.

Contraindications for use are individual intolerance, pregnancy and lactation, diseases: leukemia, collagenosis, multiple sclerosis, progressive tuberculosis.

Echinacea is a hardy, durable and very showy perennial.

This is what Echinacea purpurea looks like.

There are five types of herbaceous plants called echinacea. In floriculture, Echinacea purpurea is most widely used - a tall perennial with basal leaves, an upright green stem and a height of more than a meter, with crimson or purple spots.

Echinacea grows well in the central regions of European Russia, blooms well in the southern region, but only on a lower peduncle. It is planted in flower beds, large specimens look good
against the background of green bushes, in groups on the lawn. In addition, this is a wonderful cut crop, in which high decorativeness is combined with long (up to two months) flowering.

Growing echinacea from seeds

There are two ways to grow echinacea from seeds:

• Planting seeds in open ground
• Growing through seedlings

Let's consider both of these options.

How to grow echinacea from seeds outdoors

Seeds are sown in the ground both in spring and autumn, but it must be taken into account that the shell of the seeds is very hard and it takes quite a long time to soften it. That is why spring sowing is not always successful. The first sprouts may appear in two weeks, and after six. Many flower growers stop watering echinacea plantings after 3 to 4 weeks, deciding that the seeds will no longer sprout.

But echinacea itself tells us when it is better to plant it. Anyone who has been growing echinacea for more than one year knows how easily it reproduces by self-sowing. Seeds shed from flowers in autumn give abundant shoots in spring. Therefore, it is much easier and more expedient to plant them in the ground in late autumn, then in the spring you will get numerous shoots.

But in any case, in the first summer, the plant will form only a rosette of leaves, and will bloom only the next year. In order to admire the flowers of echinacea in the year of planting, you will have to grow it through seedlings.

Video about planting echinacea in late autumn:

Growing echinacea from seedlings

Soil preparation. The easiest way is to buy ready-made soil in a flower shop, but since echinacea is not a picky plant, you can prepare it yourself. No special composition of the soil is required, the main thing is that the earth is light, moisture-intensive and breathable.

And it will not be superfluous to disinfect the soil, not only of our own production, but also of a store. To do this, hold the bag with soil in the cold for ten days or spill it with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Boarding times. Echinacea seeds begin to be sown from mid-February.

Growing echinacea from seed.

Seed preparation. Since the shell of the seeds is hard, it is advisable to soak them in a solution that stimulates germination, or at least in plain water. To do this, wrap the seeds in a napkin, put on a saucer and moisten this napkin regularly. Many now use toilet paper for these purposes, paper is also suitable for this, the main thing is that the seeds are moist all the time and have access to air.

Sowing seeds. When the seeds begin to hatch, it's time to start sowing. Unfortunately, there will most likely not be friendly germination, so start planting when at least part of the seeds hatch.

For growing seedlings of echinacea, wooden boxes, all kinds of bowls or cups are used. Make grooves or depressions 5-10 mm deep in the ground, spread the seeds in them and sprinkle with a thin layer of earth or sand. Moisten the soil with a spray bottle, cover the box with foil and place it in a bright place.

temperature for germination. Echinacea seeds germinate at a temperature of 13 - 15 degrees, but room temperature is also quite comfortable for them.

Seedling care. Care consists only in moistening the soil in the seedling box and, of course, do not forget to remove the film when shoots appear.

Watch an educational video on growing echinacea from seeds:

Planting echinacea in the ground

When to plant. Like most flowers, Echinacea is planted in the garden when the threat of frost has passed, usually around the end of May.

Place for landing. Echinacea is recommended to be planted in the sun, but from my own experience, I can say that it feels great in partial shade. Even in partial shade, the color of the flowers is richer, brighter. Of course, these flowers cannot be planted in the shade, there the flowers will be small and may disappear altogether.

The soil. Echinacea can grow in almost any soil. If the ground is very sandy, then when planting, add some good earth or humus.

Echinacea planting. The grown seedlings are planted in flower beds at a distance of 30 cm, the pits are not deep 10 - 15 cm. If you bought already grown plants, then the planting pits are prepared more, focusing on the size of the roots. After planting, water the seedlings and mulch the soil.

Planting echinacea in the ground, video:

Echinacea Care

Echinacea attracts attention with its exquisite appearance, its medicinal properties, but this plant has one more important advantage - it is easy to grow echinacea, and its care is minimal. This unpretentious flower easily tolerates drought, temperature changes and other vagaries of nature.

Watering. Watering requires regular, moderate.

Top dressing. On rich soils can grow without top dressing. On poor soils, feed in the spring with nitrogen fertilizers (urea, saltpeter, mullein), before flowering with potassium and phosphorus (superphosphate, any complex fertilizer)

If you are growing echinacea for medicinal purposes, then any fertilizing with mineral fertilizers should be excluded!

Pruning. To encourage flowering, remove wilted flowers.

The division of the bush. Echinacea can grow in one place no more than 4 - 5 years. After this period, the bush must be dug up, divided into several parts and seated. In the same way, echinacea reproduces.

Preparing for winter. In autumn, the entire aerial part of the plant must be cut to the ground. Echinacea tolerates the winter cold well, but nevertheless, it will not be superfluous to spud and cover the root zone with mulch.

Echinacea in the garden, video:

How to collect seeds

If you want to grow this majestic flower in your garden, you can collect the seeds and grow Echinacea from your own seeds the next year.

To do this, select a well-ripened head and cut it off along with part of the stem. Then wrap the head in a cloth bag or paper bag so that crumbled seeds collect there. Hang the cut stem upside down. Collect all seeds that have fallen into a bag and dry on paper for another 10-15 days. Then pour them into a glass jar and put it in the refrigerator. There, the seeds can be stored for a whole year.

It is believed that you can collect seeds only from ordinary varieties of echinacea, and terry varieties reproduce only vegetatively. This is not entirely true. From some varieties of terry echinacea, it is sometimes possible to collect seeds and grow flowers exactly like their parents, but only in the first generation. So don't be afraid to experiment.

Diseases and pests

Echinacea is a disease and pest resistant plant. If there are any problems, then as a rule they are associated with improper care.

At high soil moisture, Echinacea can be affected by viral or fungal diseases caused by spores of the genus Cercospora and Septoria. The disease manifests itself in the form of spots on the leaves and leads to weakening, and even death of plants.

When growing echinacea, it is important not to overmoisten the soil, it is the excess moisture that leads to the development of diseases, and also attracts insect pests. But it does not always depend on the person - the summer can be cold and rainy, which will cause the appearance of powdery mildew. It is necessary to fight this disease in the same way as with other similar diseases - remove infected parts of plants, monitor soil moisture, treat the site with insecticides.

Echinacea pests are slugs, bedbugs, and slobbering pennit.

Useful properties of echinacea:

Echinacea varieties

Echinacea "White Swan" Flower diameter up to 10 cm. Bush up to 80 cm high. Flowering: from August to frost
Echinacea "Mama Mia" Flower diameter 10 cm. Bush height 60 - 80 cm. The width of the bush is 50 cm. Flowering June - September.
Echinacea "Green Line" Flower diameter 8 - 9 cm. Bush 60 - 70 cm high. Width 40 - 50 cm. Flowering: June - September.
Echinacea 'Katarina' Flower diameter 7 - 8 cm. Bush 60 cm high. Flowering time: June - October.
Echinacea "Aloha" Bush height 90 cm. Width 50cm. Flowering: June August.
Echinacea "Butterfly Kiss" Flower diameter 7 - 8 cm. Bush height 30 - 40 cm. Width 40 cm. Flowering: June - September.
Echinacea "Supreme Cantaloupe" Bush height 80 cm. Width 50 cm. Flowering: June - September.
Echinacea "Cleopatra" Flower diameter 7 - 8 cm. Bush height 35 - 40 cm. Width 30 cm. Flowering: June - September.
Echinacea "Green envy" Flower diameter 12 cm. Bush height 90 - 100 cm. Width 50 cm. Flowering: July - September.
Echinacea "Evening Dawn" Flower diameter up to 15 cm. Bush height 80 - 100 cm. Flowering: July - September.

Be sure to plant this miracle in your garden!

Among plants for open ground, echinacea stands out for its ease of care, beauty and numerous beneficial properties.

plant description

Echinacea is a herbaceous perennial of the Astrov family. Depending on the species, the size can range from a few tens of centimeters to two or more meters. The broad leaves are oval and have serrated edges. Chamomile-like flowers of white, pink, purple, yellow, raspberry, orange, salmon and even greenish color appear around mid-July and delight in bright colors until mid-September.

There are about 10 plant species in the genus Echinacea. Most often, the following 3 species are grown in summer cottages.

• Echinacea (rudbeckia) purple - the owner of large flowers with a diameter of about 12 cm. This perennial plant has a large number of double and simple varieties of different colors. Some representatives reach a height of 2 m 20 cm, there are babies no more than 45 cm tall.
• Echinacea strange (paradoxical) attracts attention with bright yellow flowers. It can reach 80 cm, it is actively used in landscape design.
• Sunset hybrid of purple and paradoxical echinacea with large fragrant flowers of exquisite colors and a strong branching stem.

New varieties of echinacea are gaining popularity. You can find drought-resistant varieties, specimens of an interesting purple color or with flowers that look like shaggy hemispheres.


The plant contains a large amount of essential oils, tannins, macro- and microelements. Decoctions and tinctures of purple echinacea have an antiviral and wound-healing effect. Juice obtained from flowers is used in folk medicine to treat wounds, a decoction of the roots is used for chronic fatigue and colds, and a tincture of fresh flowers is used to combat depression and overwork. The pharmaceutical industry produces drugs based on purple echinacea.

reproduction

You can get young specimens both by seed and vegetatively.

• The division of the bush.

The flower can be grown in one place for up to 5 years, then it is transplanted. At this time, it is desirable to divide the overgrown bushes of perennial echinacea. Work is best done in April, at the beginning of the growing season, on specimens older than 4-5 years. You can perform the division of a large echinacea bush in the fall, during leaf fall. In this case, it is better not to delay the procedure, so that young specimens have time to take root well before frost.

The bush is carefully dug up. Echinacea delenki with 3-4 renewal buds are disconnected from the mother bush and planted in a new area. When planting, do not deepen the root neck, it should not be below ground level.

• Seed method of reproduction.

You can sow echinacea seeds immediately in open ground or pre-grow seedlings.

Sowing directly on the flower garden is carried out no earlier than mid-April, when the temperature reaches +13 degrees. In the southern regions, you can sow echinacea late in the fall, then shoots will appear in early spring. Large seeds are placed in moist soil to a depth of about 0.5 cm and lightly sprinkled with soil.

Due to the unstable spring weather, it is more reliable to grow seedlings first, and then transplant the mature plants outside. This option is especially relevant in areas with cold springs and short summers.

For seedlings, seeds are sown in February or March in boxes or containers to a depth of about 0.5 cm. As a soil, a substrate is prepared from sand, compost and garden soil in a ratio of 1: 1: 2. It is better not to use a ready-made peat-based soil mixture for echinacea: it inhibits the germination of seed material. The seeds are deepened 0.5 cm into the ground, lightly sprinkled with soil and moistened with a spray bottle. The containers are kept at a temperature of about +13 degrees.

Young sprouts germinate for a long time, even at the optimum temperature, you need to wait 1-1.5 months. Landings are regularly watered and loosened. Strengthened seedlings are transferred to open ground at the end of May, after hardening the seedlings.

How to plant echinacea?

Plants grown from seeds are transferred to a pre-prepared site, which is freed from weeds and plant debris since autumn, fertilized and dug up. Seedlings are placed at a distance of about 30 cm between adjacent specimens. The interval is adjusted depending on the variety and size of the flower.

Adult echinacea can be purchased in a container or small pot. Such flowers can be planted in open ground throughout the growing season. A hole about 40 cm deep is prepared for planting. Then its bottom is filled by a third with compost, sand and garden soil in equal proportions. Echinacea is carefully rolled into the landing pit along with a clod of earth. Planting depth is the same as the flower grew in a pot.

After work, the flowers are watered, and the soil in the hole is mulched. Echinacea grown from seeds for the first time will bloom in the next growing season, large delenki and adult bushes from a container can please with flowers in the year of planting.

Growing Features

The vagaries of nature rarely harm the health and appearance of the plant, and you can get gorgeous flowers with minimal care.

• Echinacea is the flower of the sun. She will like a bright area, light partial shade is acceptable. When cultivated in shaded areas, the flowers become smaller and may disappear.
• Prefers neutral or slightly alkaline soil acidity. Echinacea is not too demanding on the composition of the soil, but areas with light sandy soil are not suitable for it. Organics are added to such a land, because only on fertile soil can echinacea show all its beauty.
• This is a moisture-loving plant. Needs abundant and frequent watering, especially in the heat. They are best done in the evening. In rainy weather with a lot of precipitation, it is not necessary to irrigate. When the temperature drops, the amount of watering is reduced.
• Top dressing of echinacea is carried out twice per season: at the beginning of the growing season and during the budding period. In the spring, organic fertilizers are used, such as humus or compost. Before flowering, water with a solution of mineral dressing.
• Regularly remove weeds, carry out loosening on the site.
• Around the end of October, the stems are pruned. Before the cold weather, the root neck of echinacea is mulched a little with compost, and covered with a layer of dry leaves on top. This will keep the plant from freezing. A flower without protection may die in regions with low temperatures in winter or in the absence of snow cover.

You can grow echinacea from seeds collected by yourself. For reproduction, beautiful inflorescences located on healthy specimens are chosen. Seeds are collected both from varieties of simple echinacea and from terry varieties. In the second case, usually in the first generation, the plants have all the properties of a mother liquor, but in the future they may lose their doubleness and other features.

The collection is carried out in parts, when the core of the inflorescence darkens. Seeds are cleaned of flower residues after ripening, dried and placed in paper or cloth bags. They try not to store for a long time, as echinacea seeds soon lose their germination capacity.

If there is no need to collect seeds, the inflorescence with part of the stem up to the first leaf is cut off after flowering. This keeps the plant strong and allows it to bloom more luxuriantly.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew can appear on echinacea during frequent rains in hot summers, with significant temperature changes during periods of high humidity, or from excess nitrogen fertilizers in the soil. The leaves, shoots and flower stalks of the plant are covered with an unpleasant whitish coating. The fight against a dangerous disease is carried out with the help of colloidal sulfur or Bordeaux mixture.
• Deformation of flower stalks, yellowing and drying of leaves can be caused by various viruses. Sick flowers cannot be saved, they are removed from the site and burned. The place where sick echinacea grew is disinfected with a saturated solution of potassium permanganate.
• With fungal diseases, spots form on the leaves. Minor damage is removed, sprayed with fungicides, such as Topaz or Fundazol. With severe fungal infection, diseased plants are removed to prevent the spread of infection.

Thanks to the colorful and fairly long flowering, echinacea has won the hearts of many flower growers. It is used for growing in gardens and flower beds separately and in groups with other plants. Echinacea inflorescences, when cut, retain their decorative appearance for a long time, so they are actively used to create charming bouquets.

Echinacea is a perennial horticultural crop belonging to the Compositae family. The homeland of the flower is the eastern part of North America. It is a well-known medicinal plant. It is used to raise the tone of the body and strengthen the immune system.

Medicinal properties are not the only advantage of this plant. Depending on the variety, its flowers have a different color. They look like pompoms and huge daisies. If you plant different varieties together, you can create a flower firework that will decorate any garden.

Echinacea varieties with photos and names

Echinacea purpurea Magnus - This plant reaches 1.5 meters in height. It has large flowers with a diameter of up to twelve centimeters. The central part is painted brown-yellow. On the edges are petals of a purple-purple hue. Flowers are held on hard and rough stems.

- a perennial variety that reaches a height of 40 cm. It has bright pink flowers with a pink-brown center. The plant grows into a dense shrub, the diameter of which exceeds half a meter.

- This is a perennial dwarf variety. An adult plant reaches a height of 45 cm. It has flowers of a delicate color. The petals are white and slightly drooping. The center is painted in several shades that smoothly transition from one to another. The underside is a light pink that fades to cream and then to lime.

- a perennial variety that grows up to 50 cm. The plant has beautiful yellow flowers, which consist of drooping petals and a velvety, spherical center. It blooms throughout the summer, perfectly tolerates heat under the scorching rays of the sun.

- this variety grows up to 60 cm. It has large flowers, painted in several shades. The central part of the flower is maroon, and along the edges are yellow-pink petals. The plant grows into a wide and dense shrub.

Perennial plant that reaches 60 cm in height. It has large inflorescences, consisting of a spherical, double center and drooping petals. Young flowers are painted in a fiery orange hue, and after flowering they change color to bright red. This variety needs fertile soil and regular watering.

- a perennial that grows up to 70 cm. It has large flowers with a double orange-red center, framed by a skirt of red-purple petals. The plant grows into curtains with a diameter of half a meter.

- a perennial variety, the stems of which grow up to 75 cm. It has large flowers, consisting of a brown terry pompom and orange-yellow petals. The plant forms a dense shrub that grows well in both shade and sun.

- the total height of the plant reaches 80 cm. Terry inflorescences of a red-orange hue grow on strong stems. This variety is not whimsical in cultivation. It blooms well in moderately acidic soil in an open sunny area. Does not like abundant watering.

- An excellent perennial variety. Its flowers reach a diameter of 8 cm. They consist of a lime-colored terry pom-pom and white lower petals. An adult shrub grows up to 70 cm. It likes nutritious soil and moderate watering. It tolerates cold winters well without shelter.

- perennial, growing up to 80 cm. Ripe inflorescences reach 10 cm in diameter. They have a pink pom-pom with a brown crown and delicate purple petals. The flowers stand out distinctly against the background of brown stems and green foliage. One shrub gives up to thirty inflorescences.

- a wonderful perennial variety, reaching 60 cm. The flowers are large with a diameter of 10 cm. They consist of a yellow-orange terry pompom with raspberry splashes and green-yellow petals. Drought tolerant and does not like frequent watering.

- an ornamental variety that grows up to 50 cm. It is unique in that it has unusually shaped inflorescences. It looks like a chamomile, but as it matures, another flower with pink petals appears on the terry central part.

This is the common name for all perennial varieties that have flowers in the form of a fluffy ball. The lower part of the pom-pom is framed with delicate petals. There are various colors - white, red, pink, green, orange. Terry varieties can be dyed in one color or in several shades.

is a perennial variety of purple echinacea. The shrub reaches one meter in height. It has large inflorescences similar to daisies with a diameter of up to 12 cm. The plant tolerates cold winters well, but needs shelter for the first year.

- perennial, reaching 90 cm in height. It has large flowers with a terry pompom of a red-orange hue. Begins to bloom from July to September. Forms dense bushes. Likes sunny areas and minimal watering.

- This variety has large and double inflorescences. They consist of a red pom-pom with a green center and drooping orange-yellow petals. It blooms for a long time and in large batches of buds. The shrub grows up to 30 cm in height.

- a dwarf variety that grows no more than 45 cm. Its double flower contains lime, pink-cream and white tones. It grows rapidly into lush shrubs with a diameter of 40 cm. It begins to bloom in August, and stops at the end of September.

- is another variety of Echinacea purpurea. Young flowers have a lush light green pompom with an orange center. It is surrounded by white petals. Flowers retain this decorative effect for two months. The shrub can grow up to 1.5 meters.

- these varieties include Bolero and Tanyusha. They were created by breeders specifically for the pharmaceutical industry, so they are not sold in stores in the form of seeds. Among the medicinal species in the free market, you can find seedlings of Echinacea purpurea: Mustang, Livadia, Red Umbrella and Red Hat.

Echinacea perennial planting and care

This plant reproduces by self-sowing. The seedlings are shed in the autumn, and the first shoots appear in the spring. If you decide to plant the seeds directly in open ground, do the same. But this method does not guarantee that all shoots will sprout in the spring. You may come across a weak seed that will simply die.

To get a lot of seedlings, plant the seeds in cups with nutrient soil. This should be done not in the fall, but at the end of February. In the spring, the seedlings will be ready for transplanting to a permanent place in the garden.

Seed preparation

If the seedlings are immediately planted in the ground, they will germinate in 2-4 weeks, or they may not sprout at all. To guarantee seedlings, the seed must be prepared.

To do this, wrap the grains in gauze or cotton wool and soak with water. Keep the bundle moist and roots will appear in a few days.

Planting seeds

When the seedlings hatch, they can be transplanted into the ground. As a nutrient medium, any flower soil bought in a store is suitable. For planting seedlings, it is convenient to use cups or cassettes. The temperature in the room should be from +15 °C to + 20 °C.

Fill the cells with soil and make small indentations with a stick. Plant the seeds in these holes with the root down so that the heads are visible. Then water generously. After a few days, the sprouts will germinate, shedding the seed coat. Maintain moderate soil moisture.

Transplanting seedlings in open ground

Echinacea likes to grow in slightly acidic or neutral soils. In soil with high acidity, add woody hall or slaked lime. Add black soil or humus to sandy soil.

Transplant seedlings in May, when it is warm outside and the soil is warm. Choose open areas with good lighting. To properly plant the plants, dig holes at a distance of 30 cm between them. Make the depth of the holes according to the size of the rhizome. After transplanting, keep the soil moist and remove weeds regularly.

Santolina is also a member of the Compositae family. It is grown during planting and care in the open field without much hassle, if you follow the rules of agricultural technology. You can find all the necessary recommendations for growing and caring in this article.

Watering Echinacea

The plant needs frequent watering, but in moderation. On hot days, water every day after sunset. On cloudy days, water as the soil dries.

Water seedlings under the root, and mature ones can be sprayed from above.

Echinacea Fertilizers

A plant planted in fertile soil does not need to be fed. But depleted soil needs to be fertilized. Do this in the spring, using fertilizers that contain nitrogen: mullein, saltpeter, urea.

Re-fertilize during flowering. Any complex fertilizer containing potassium phosphate is suitable for this. If you plan to grow echinacea to create medicines, any top dressing is contraindicated.

echinacea blossom

This plant is a perennial crop. In the first year of planting, it has only shortened stems and dense foliage. Internodes and petioles are underdeveloped during this period.

Flowers appear in the second year after planting. Flowering lasts from July to early October.

How to Harvest Echinacea Seeds

Make seed preparations at the end of the season. To do this, choose dried and blackened heads. They look like prickly balls.

Cut these seed pods along with the short stems. Then put it in a bag and put it in a dark place until next year. During this time, they will dry well and will be ready for planting.

pruning echinacea

Remove mature flowers that begin to dry out. So you save the decorativeness of the bush and help new inflorescences appear faster.

You should also prune the plant in the fall to prepare it for overwintering. To do this, cut off all the stems with foliage.

Echinacea winter preparation

This is a winter-hardy plant, but it is better to help it survive frosts. After autumn pruning, mulch the root collars with compost and cover with a layer of dry leaves.

This procedure is primarily necessary for one-year-old shrubs. Sheltered for the winter, they will easily survive the cold, and in the spring they will grow again and delight with their first flowering.

Echinacea growing from seeds

This method helps to grow many new bushes and varieties. Seedlings can be planted in spring and autumn both in open ground and in containers. Spring sowing should be early so that the plant has time to form and grow stronger before frost.

In autumn, gardeners prefer to plant in open ground before the onset of cold weather. The healthiest seeds will survive the cold and germinate in the spring.

Reproduction of echinacea by dividing the bush

This is the easiest and fastest way to propagate a plant. You can divide bushes that have reached the age of three or four years. This procedure is carried out in May or April.

To do this, you need to carefully dig a bush and divide the rhizome. In order for the roots to take root faster in a new place, treat them with a growth stimulator before planting.

Echinacea propagation by cuttings

This is a difficult method to propagate a plant, which is not always successful. Often experiments end with the drying of the cuttings. But if you decide to try to propagate the plant by cuttings, then do it in June. Choose healthy and strong stems.

Cut off the cuttings so that each leaves two leaves. Wet the sections with a root growth stimulator. Then plant the cuttings in nutritious and moist soil. The temperature in the room should be between +22 °C and +25 °C.

If new leaves begin to appear on them, then roots have formed. After two months, the cuttings will finally take root and become full-fledged plants. Transplant them in open ground to a permanent place.

Diseases and pests of echinacea

Fusarium - the cause of this disease is a fungus that is in the soil. It penetrates the plant and causes rotting of the roots and base of the stems. To stop the infection, you need to pull out the affected plant and burn it. Spray neighboring bushes with foundation.

powdery mildew - This is a mold fungus that appears as a white coating on the surface of leaves and shoots. The cause of infection is the dampness of the soil. Spray the affected bushes with Bordeaux liquid and let the soil dry.

Echinacea medicinal properties and contraindications

In folk medicine, healing decoctions and tinctures are prepared from echinacea, which help to cope with flu and colds, diseases of the liver and bladder.

They make compresses and lotions to speed up the healing of wounds and burns, to recover from urticaria and herpes. To create medicines, foliage, young shoots, flowers and roots are used. These parts are consumed fresh or dried.

Echinacea in overwhelming situations has a positive effect on the body. But there are categories of people who are strictly forbidden to use medicines based on this flower.

Echinacea Folk Recipes

Echinocea decoction for influenza: you will need six flowers, crushed roots and leaves, one tablespoon each. Mix them in a saucepan and pour three cups of boiling water over them. Leave the decoction for forty minutes. Take one glass three times a day.

Echinacea tincture for depression: take 10 gr. crushed root and fill it with alcohol 100 ml. Let the medicine brew for a day. Take twenty drops three times a day.

Echinacea tea to strengthen the immune system: plucked leaves, dry and grind. You will also need fresh flowers. Pour 4 teaspoons of crushed leaves into a teapot and add 6 flowers. Pour the mixture with three cups of boiling water. Brew tea for 40 minutes. Take the medicine three times a day.

Firstly, the flower does not need any special care, we can say that it is unpretentious.

Secondly, it has great medicinal value.

And, thirdly, it is a decorative value.

Echinacea is a beautiful plant that blooms for a long time. Despite the fact that the plant is unpretentious, there are still some rules for planting and further care for echinacea.

Location selection

The sun is important for echinacea. Shade and partial shade do not suit her, she will wither and die. So we choose only a sunny meadow or a flower bed. It must be borne in mind that the plant will live on this piece of land for five years, so you should make sure that a tree does not grow nearby or a gazebo is built.

As for the soil, echinacea is able to grow anywhere except sandy light soils. On them, it will develop poorly and multiply.

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Landing time selection

If you decide to use seedlings, it must be prepared one and a half months before planting. Some seeds begin to sprout after ten days, others after a month and a half, and still others will not sprout at all. We can say that this period is the only problematic period for echinacea. Then you just need to loosen the ground near the seedlings and water a little.

Soil preparation

Echinacea can thrive in dry soil as well, as it is called a drought tolerant plant. But its development and appearance show themselves best with moderate watering. The soil needs either neutral or alkaline. In general, any more or less fertile can fit.

Hybrid varieties need more gentle care. For them, it is necessary to think over drainage or arrange a flower bed with an elevation.

Landing Features

If you prefer seedlings, then holes must be prepared in advance in your clearing or flower bed. Their depth is 5 cm, the interval is 30 cm. Place a little compost at the bottom of the holes, and then the seedlings themselves.

It happens that already adult plants are sold. They can be purchased in pots and other containers. Such a plant can be planted in the ground throughout the season. You dig a 40-centimeter hole, fill it a third with equal parts of sand, garden soil and compost. Then carefully remove the echinacea from the container along with the ground and plant.

You will learn additional useful information about echinacea from the video:

reproduction

You can easily propagate echinacea from seeds. It can be a direct landing in the ground. At home, if desired, you can grow seedlings. Another type of reproduction is to divide the bush.

Echinacea bushes should be planted every 3-4 years. This helps rejuvenate the plant. It is worth noting that hybrid varieties reproduce only vegetatively.

To prepare seedlings at home, you need to take containers, fill them with a universal substrate, make 0.5 cm holes and place the seeds there. Sprinkle a thin layer of sand on top. Next, you need to carefully and gently, preferably from a spray bottle, sprinkle this sand and then maintain a stable moderate humidity.

The most benevolent temperature regime for the germination of echinacea seeds is 13 degrees.

Care

Echinacea is an unpretentious plant that does not need to be especially looked after. The only care is the destruction of weeds around the bushes.

top dressing

For top dressing, the usual complex fertilizer is quite suitable. You can also make your own by mixing compost with regular ash. It is necessary to feed from the second year in the spring. Echinacea may well exist on its own, but top dressing will make its color beautiful and lush.

pruning

To better stimulate flowering, you can cut off already wilted flowers.

winter care

After the flowers fade, you need to cut the stem to the ground level, and spud with loose earth. The earth is recommended to be pre-mixed with compost or humus.

Echinacea winters well. But in the first year after planting, it needs to be additionally easily covered.

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You can also read about and popular varieties.

Pest and disease control

The plant is resistant to diseases and pests. The only thing that can happen is that in rainy times, echinacea is slightly susceptible to rot or powdery mildew. Fungicides are great for this problem.

Varieties

Echinacea is weird. True to its name - the only plant in the genus that blooms bright yellow.

Echinacea purpurea. Famous for its large beautiful flowers. Sometimes these flowers reach 12 cm in diameter. The core is brown and rises.

Connoisseurs consider this variety the most beautiful and luxurious among terry. Bright and deep pink-purple color.

Echinacea The King. One of the tallest varieties. The height of individual specimens reaches 220 cm. The beauty of the flowers is proportional to the growth of the plant - marvelous reddish-pink flowers 15 cm in diameter.

Echinacea White Swan. Slightly reminiscent of daisies, showy white flowers.

A 90 cm plant with soft crimson flowers.

View photos of echinacea varieties in the gallery: