Nursery / Perennial
Echinacea purpurea

Echinacea

Native prairie perennial that thrives in Virginia summers with zero supplemental water once established - a cornerstone pollinator plant with a medicinal root after year three.

Echinacea earns its place in a productive landscape on three fronts at once: it is genuinely drought-proof once established, it is one of the most reliable native bee and butterfly plants available, and the seed heads left standing through fall and winter feed goldfinches when little else is available.

By the third year, the root system has developed enough to be medicinally useful, the same plant used in commercial echinacea preparations. Deadheading extends bloom, but leaving spent flowers standing through winter is genuinely better for wildlife and costs you nothing in appearance until spring cleanup.

Common questions

Before you plant.

  • How much water does it actually need?Almost none once established - this is one of the most genuinely drought-tolerant perennials we carry.
  • Should I cut back the dead flowers?You can, but leaving them standing through winter feeds goldfinches on the seed heads. Cut back in late winter if you prefer.
  • Is the root really medicinal?Yes - by year three the root has developed enough to be used the same way as commercial echinacea root preparations.
  • Will it spread aggressively?It self-seeds modestly but is not aggressive. Expect gradual filling-in of a bed, not takeover.
  • Is it deer resistant?Deer tend to leave mature plants alone, though young spring growth sometimes gets nibbled.
  • Will it bloom the first year?Often lightly. Plants from pots usually bloom well by the second summer.

    • Planting & Growing Information

    Ships as
    Plug, 4-inch pot, 1-gallon
    Hardiness zone
    3-9
    Mature height
    2-4 ft
    Water needs
    Very low once established, drought tolerant
    Sun / shade
    Full sun to light shade
    Bloom season
    Summer through fall, purple daisy-form flowers
    Care
    Cut back in late winter, or leave standing for winter bird forage
    Attributes
    Native, pollinator magnet, medicinal root, drought tolerant
    Ships to
    Most US states. We do not currently ship live plants to California, Arizona, Hawaii, or Florida due to state agricultural restrictions. Local pickup is available in Great Falls, Virginia.
    Plants that pair well

    Good company
    for your echinacea.

    Yarrow
    Yarrow
    Another drought-tolerant native perennial that shares the same easy-care approach and pollinator draw.
    Pawpaw Tree
    Pawpaw Tree
    A shade-giving tree that echinacea can naturalize beneath at the drip line edge.
    Goji Berry Bush
    Goji Berry Bush
    A similarly tough, low-water companion for a dry, sunny bed.
    Native coneflower

    The pollinator plant
    that asks for nothing.

    Purple coneflower is a native prairie perennial, and one of the most dependable plants in any sunny bed. Once rooted it shrugs off heat, drought and poor soil.

    From midsummer to fall it hosts a steady traffic of native bees and butterflies. Leave the seed heads standing, and goldfinches will work them all winter.

    We grow the straight species rather than showy double-flowered cultivars, which often offer pollinators less.

    • Straight speciesEchinacea purpurea as it grows in the wild, the best choice for pollinators.
    • PlugsAn economical way to plant a meadow or a large drift.
    • Pots4-inch and 1-gallon plants for beds and borders.
    • Current stockInventory varies by season and batch. Contact us to confirm what is available now, and in what size.

    What to know before you buy

    Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Rich, wet soil is more likely to kill echinacea than drought is.

    Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart. They fill in over two to three years.

    Water through the first summer. After that, established plants rarely need it.

    If you plan to use the root, wait until year three or later and harvest in fall.

    Sizes and formats

    What we ship.

    Plants ship in the dormant seasons, late fall and early spring, with local pickup in Great Falls. Availability changes by batch, so ask if you need a particular size.

    Echinacea
    Echinacea
    Echinacea purpurea
    Native purple coneflower, straight species, for pollinator beds, meadows and borders.
    NativePollinatorPerennial
    Available as: plug, 4-inch pot, 1-gallon
    Wholesale and bulk

    Planting at scale.

    We supply landscapers, nurseries, farms and larger residential projects with echinacea in quantity. Stock is seasonal and limited, so get in touch ahead of your planting window and we will plan around your order.

    Ask about wholesale →
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    Goji Berry Bush
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    Currant Bush
    Currant Bush

    Planning an orchard, guild or garden around this plant? An on-site consult in the DC area starts at $250, a written Remote Strategy at $1,500, or start small with a free guide.