Lawn Guardian

Purple Coneflower Care Guide

Echinacea purpurea

perennialZones 3–9nativedeer resistant

Iconic native prairie flower with large daisy-like blooms featuring drooping pink-purple petals around a spiky orange-brown cone. Extremely tough and drought tolerant.

At a glance

Season-by-season care

Spring

Cut back old stems Early spring

Remove dried stems from last year if not already done.

Summer

Deadhead selectively Throughout summer

Remove spent blooms to encourage reblooming, but leave some to develop seeds for birds.

Fall

Leave seed heads standing Fall

Spiky seed heads are beautiful in frost and feed goldfinches all winter. Do not cut back.

Ecological value

Critical pollinator plant attracting native bees, butterflies (especially swallowtails and monarchs), and hummingbirds. Seed heads are goldfinch magnets in winter.

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Related plants

Sources: Purdue University Turfgrass Science: Use Growing Degree Days to Better Time Your Applications · University of Missouri Extension: Cool-Season Grasses: Lawn Maintenance Calendar · University of Minnesota Extension: Pre-emergent Herbicides for Crabgrass Control in Lawns