The Echinacea, also known as Purple Coneflower, is a beautiful summer-flowering perennial. Its large flowers with prominent bristly centres, resembling either single daisies or fluffy pom-poms depending on the variety, bloom throughout summer in borders, continuously and undaunted by wind.

Exceptionally easy to grow, its only requirements are well-drained soil and a sunny position.

Echinacea is an essential perennial for prairie gardens or English-style mixed borders.

→ To learn all about echinaceas, read Echinaceas: sowing, growing and care.

successful echinacea sowing, how to sow echinaceas, when to sow echinaceas

Echinaceas, radiant and floriferous all summer

Sowing echinaceas is straightforward. It's also the most effective way to propagate this perennial: they dislike division and root cuttings yield disappointing results. Note however that if harvested seeds don't come from a true species (Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida, Echinacea angustifolia...) but from a cultivated variety, the flowers won't be true to the parent plant.

Required materials

When to sow echinaceas?

Sowing is done in spring (April-May) with fully ripe seeds harvested in autumn once they turn brown but before they fall. You can also purchase packets of echinacea seeds from garden centres.

successful echinacea sowing, how to sow echinaceas, when to sow echinaceas

Harvest the seeds in autumn when the plant's cone turns brown

How to sow echinaceas?

  • Refrigerate the seeds for 5-6 weeks (between 1-4°C) before sowing to encourage germination;
  • Sow the seeds in trays in spring using a mix of 2/3 seed compost and 1/3 good garden soil. Barely cover the seeds with a very fine layer of seed compost;
  • Place your tray in a warm propagator at 15-20°C (a heated propagator is ideal);
  • Water regularly, but never saturate the growing medium: it should remain moist but not waterlogged;
  • Seeds germinate in 2-4 weeks depending on temperature and echinacea type;
  • The first "leaves" to appear are cotyledons. True leaves follow. At the 4-6 true leaf stage, transplant each seedling into individual pots using the same growing medium;
  • Plant out in autumn or the following spring: choose spring if your soil is heavy and poorly drained or if seedling roots are still too delicate;
  • Plants will flower as early as their second year.