Grow This: Echinacea pallida

By Clint Brown (clintbrown) on March 23, 2010

We are so inundated with magazine articles about new Echinacea cultivars promising unusual colors and new bloom forms. These plants are reproduced in sterile labs using micropropagation and often disappoint in the garden. However, one of my favorite plants is rarely mentioned at all. I'm talking about Echinacea pallida. A plant that is easily grown from something called...SEEDS!

Echinacea pallida has many blooms per plant. Native to open prairies of the midwest, Echinacea pallida is also called Pale Purple Coneflower and is a species of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Asteraceae. It is easily grown from seeds and will flower the second year after sowing. It blooms before Echinacea purpurea in the garden and is usually finished blooming by mid summer. The plants grow about 2.5 to 3 feet tall. The large flowers are pink with drooping, narrow petals around a dark cone. A white seed strain called 'Hula Dancer' is also available from Jelitto Perennial Seeds.

Year after year, these beautiful plants return without fail and tower over the expensive new cultivars with their fancy red, orange, and yellow blooms. The only requirements for Echinacea pallida are good drainage and lots of sunshine. A spray with Daconcil or other fungicide is beneficial around April each year, especially during extended periods of rain.

Butterflies love their blooms. Goldfinches love their seedheads. You will love their majestic, towering appearance in your garden...So what are you waiting for? Plant some Echinacea pallida seeds!

© 2010 - Clint Brown

Related articles:
coneflower, Echinacea, flower, pallida, seeds

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Comments and discussion:

Subject Thread Starter Last Reply Replies

This is informative and interesting valleylynn Mar 29, 2010 3:47 PM 4

Great Article! 1AnjL Mar 23, 2010 11:48 PM 2