Echinacea angustifolia – Coneflower –

Description

Echinacea – Coneflower – There are about 9 clump forming, bold, stiff perennials, in this genus.  They occur in dry prairies, gravelly hillsides, and open woodland in Central and Eastern North America.  They have thick, edible, black rootstocks and short rhizomes.  Erect hairy stems carry linear-lance shaped to ovate, smooth or toothed edged, or deeply pinnatifid, bristly, dark green leaves.  It bears solitary, daisy like, purple, red, pink, or white flowers, with pointed stiff scales on the undersides and prominent, ovoid, or cone shaped, brownish yellow to orange centers, are held in terminally on thick, sometimes sparsely branched stems.  Grow in a herbaceous border or open woodland. Grow in deep, well drained, humus rich soil in full sun, although they will tolerate some shade.  Cut back stems as the blooms fade to encourage further flower production and to prevent excessive self seeding.  Divide every 3 or 4 years in spring. Prone to leaf miners, powdery mildew, bacterial spots, gray mold, and vine weevils. E. angustifolia – This erect perennial found from Southern Canada to Texas grows 4′ feet tall and 18″ wide. It produces lance shaped to linear, hairy, smooth edged leaves, 6″ long, the stem leaves stalkless. In early summer it bears flowers, to 6″ across, with conical, orange centers and narrow arching, pink or purple-pink, occasionally white petals. Zones 4-9