The Top 25 Coneflowers

#1: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea PowWow® Wild Berry)

@NJBob says, "Winner of 2010 AAS flower award. Comes back true from seed."

@Newyorkrita added, "This was the first year I could find plants of Pow Wow Wild Berry at the local nurseries, and I promptly bought and planted them. They came into bloom shortly after planting and just kept on, and on, and on blooming: blooming all summer long into September. I didn't have to do anything to them to keep them in bloom. No deadheading, nothing. Now all I have left are the dead flower seedheads on the plant and I will see whether it self seeds some new plants for me."

#2: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

@plantladylin says, "Echinacea purpurea is native to eastern North America. It is a perennial that is pollinated by butterflies and bees. Grows best in full sun to partial shade. The Purple Coneflower is one of my favorite perennial garden plants. They spread each year and produce many seeds to sow and share. The coneflowers are butterfly magnets and I think every garden should have purple coneflowers!"

#3: Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan')

@imabirdnut says, "I have been growing 'White Swan' for 3 years from seeds I harvest from my own plants & they have come true from seed every time!"

#4: Coneflower (Echinacea 'Hot Papaya')

@BookerC1 says, "Prefers well-drained soil. Water frequently until established. Established plants are drought-tolerant.

Fertilize in spring. Use balanced fertilizer for best results."

@lovemyhouse added, "Echinaceas tend to die quickly in my yard. I have heavy clay and probably don't amend as much as these need. Last year, I planted several varieties and paid attention to the advice to keep them from blooming the first year. Looks like it worked, at least for now."

#5: Coneflower (Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit')

@NJBob says, "This is a seed variety that offers a multitude of colors."

@Dodecatheon3 added, "I have been very impressed with Cheyenne Spirit. I've been growing both the red and the yellow since 2012, and they are, without a doubt, the most vigorous echinacea plants I own. Cheyenne Spirit was the first to leaf out the past two springs and the first to bloom. In my garden, the red is a shorter plant than the yellow, but both are great. These plants have lots of blooms with wonderful vibrant color that can be seen from a distance. They bloom a long time too. This variety is really noteworthy in all its characteristics. Highly recommended!"

#6: Coneflower (Echinacea 'Tomato Soup')

@Newyorkrita says, "I really love the colors of the bloom of this fancy new echinacea. Last spring I planted well over a dozen, but unfortunately the plants died over the winter.

Rita, located on the north shore of Nassau County Long Island, NY zone 6/7 where it is humid in the summer."

#7: Coneflower (Echinacea 'Hot Summer')

@NJBob says, "Best of the color-changing Echinaceas. Can have different color blooms on the same plant. Reblooms without deadheading"

@Marilyn added, "Out of all the Echinaceas I've grown, 'Hot Summer' is the best! It's so colorful! There are different colors of flowers on the same plant, as it changes every few days. I keep it deadheaded because I want to make sure it keeps producing the gorgeous flowers.

If I could grow only one variety of Echinacea, this would be the one! I'm planning to replace all the Echineceas I grow with 'Hot Summer'!"

#8: Coneflower (Echinacea 'Pink Double Delight')

@kqcrna says, "Pink Double Delight is a beautiful little ech. Shorter than many others, it stands up much better than my taller echs, which get knocked over in storms. This little beauty has never needed staking in the two years that I have had it in my zone 6 yard. (Many of my taller echs do require plant supports.)

Karen"

#9: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus')

@Newyorkrita says, "Leave the seed heads after they flower, instead of cutting them back, to attract goldfinches. They love to eat the seeds of coneflowers. Magnus is a proven vatiety I have had in my garden for many, many years."

#10: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Coconut Lime')

@mom2goldens says, "This has been a strong performer in my zone 5 garden. It blooms non-stop through the summer up until frost. Plants are well-branched and have made it reliably through several of our harsh winters. Flowers make great cut flowers; the color is really striking in arrangements."

#11: Coneflower (Echinacea Big Sky™ Harvest Moon)

@NJBob says, "Also known as Big Sky Harvest Moon."

@plantladylin added, "From the Big Sky Series of Echinacea. Introduced by ItSaul Plants of Atlanta, Georgia, Echinacea Harvest Moon 'Matthew Saul' has beautiful golden flowers reminiscent of the color of a harvest moon. It is a vigorous grower. Its flowers have slightly reflexed overlapping petals. It loves heat and at least 4 - 6 hours of full sun per day. Attracts butterflies and birds."

#12: Tennessee Coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis)

@SongofJoy says, "A rare coneflower, Echinacea tennesseensis was removed from the Endangered Species List in 2011."

#13: Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea PowWow® White)

@clintbrown says, "These are nice, compact plants that have excellent basal branching. They are also very hardy and reliable."

#14: Coneflower (Echinacea Big Sky™ Summer Sky)

@NJBob says, "Also known as Big Sky Summer Sky."

@ge1836 added, "This is its 3rd year in my garden. It spreads nicely and holds a nice group."

#15: Coneflower (Echinacea 'Flame Thrower')

@clintbrown says, "Very hardy variety of Echinacea. Plants usually require a second year of growth to flower, however."

#16: Coneflower (Echinacea 'Fatal Attraction')

@sheryl says, "I saw this coneflower at the New York Botanical gardens and was immediately attracted (fatally?) by the dark purple stems (no, those aren't shadows) that set off the pink blooms. I also loved that it was more "button" shaped, which I prefer over the reflexed petals many of the Echinacea have.

I haven't planted it in my own gardens yet - it isn't terribly easy to find and the one source I did find was a bit pricey. But the search continues...."

#17: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Rubinstern')

@eclayne says, "My understanding of Rubinstern is it's a seed strain. Therefore considerable variability should be expected. Mine are ~40" high."

#18: Coneflower (Echinacea Big Sky™ Sundown)

@NJBob says, "Also known as Big Sky Sundown"

#19: Coneflower (Echinacea 'Sombrero Salsa Red')

@clintbrown says, "This plant has a nice fragrance similar to roses."

#20: Yellow Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa)

@SongofJoy says, "Yellow Purple Coneflower occurs in the wild only in Arkansas, where it is rare. Plants are 2 to 3 1/2 feet tall with narrow elliptical leaves. Flowering begins in early summer and lasts about 4 weeks. The flower heads are daisy-like with narrow, bright, orangey-yellow rays (petals) 3 to 4 inches long that are reflexed downward and greenish brown cones.

These flowers positively glow in the sun. Give it full sun, average soil, and dryish conditions."

#21: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea 'Merlot')

@Sharon says, "A wide variety of wild growing Echinacea was used medicinally by Native Americans. Today herbalists most commonly suggest its use to relieve symptoms of the common cold."

#22: Coneflower (Echinacea Big Sky™ Sunrise)

@virginiarose says, "I was disappointed in how it faded to a completely white flower in three days."

#23: Eastern Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Doppelganger')

@kqcrna says, "I've had a few Doppelgangers for 4 or 5 years. They're tall coneflowers, around 4 feet.

The blossoms on my plants are inconsistent. A few flowers display the cute perfect "hat" sitting atop the blossom. Sometimes they just throw up an extra petal or two on top of the flower, pretty weird looking. Some just look like common purple coneflowers. Occasionally they display fully double coneflowers. These variations all occur on the same plant. I've posted pictures of the various flowers on this page."

#24: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Ruby Giant')

@ge1836 says, "This plant is exceptional as far as color goes. Mine is over 36 inches tall and doesn't spread really fast."

#25: Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

@jmorth says, "Habitat is prairies & open woods, A local wildflower.
Utilized by N American Indians for various ailments including the flu and colds (use similar today in pharmaceutical preparations)."

@Catmint20906 added, "According to NPIN, Echinacea pallida has special value to native bees.

Echinacea pallida is a preferred source of nectar for a variety of bees and butterflies.
A variety of bee species are attracted to this plant including longhorned, sweat, leafcutter, brownbelted bumble, and mining bees."