Echinacea are plants that reach a height of up to 2 meters, and that have large flowers that attract a multitude of beneficial insects which is why they are very interesting to grow in or near orchards, as well as in gardens. In addition, they can be adapted to live in pots, so you can have them practically where you want.
But humanity not only enjoys the color and majesty of its flowers, but also its medicinal properties, which we will talk about below so that, in this way, you know everything about them.
Origin and characteristics of Echinacea
Echinacea is the genus of a series of perennial herbaceous plants native to North America. There are a dozen accepted species, although 23 have been described. All of them have very, very similar characteristics; in fact, the most notable differences are the dimensions of its leaves and / or the color of its flowers. They reach a height of between 90 centimeters and 2 metersThey have lanceolate to elliptical leaves, and the color of what is usually confused with the petals but which are actually ligules can be pink, purple or more rarely yellow or white.
It belongs to the Asteraceae family, and like them, its flowers are grouped in an inflorescence in which the central cone protrudes a little thanks to the ligules sprouting from behind it. In our protagonist, in addition, these grow a little downward, making it look even better. Blooms in spring-summer.
As a curious fact, we will tell you that the term Echinacea comes from echinowhich in Greek means thorny. This refers to the cone, but don’t worry, you can touch it without hurting yourself.
Main species
Although there are a dozen, not all are equally well known. In fact, the market almost always sells seeds of two varieties, but not more. If you want to get other varieties, you often have to look in specialized sites or those that sell seeds brought from outside the country.
But still, we want you to know them so that you know how beautiful they are:
Echinacea angustifolia
Image – Wikimedia Commons / Dy-e
La narrow-leaved echinacea It is a variety that reaches 1 meter in height and, as its name indicates, has thinner leaves than other species. Its flowers are pink or purple. It is the one that is most used as a medicinal plant, since it serves both to prevent and cure colds and to improve digestion, among many other things that we will see later.
Echinacea atrorubens
The Echinacea atrorubens It is a very similar plant to the one we have just seen, but it is smaller: it is only 90 centimeters tall and has the widest leaves. Its flowers can be pink, or sometimes white.
Echinacea laevigata
Image – Flickr / cotinis
The Echinacea laevigata it is a species that is in danger of extinction. It can reach 1,5 meters in height, and differs from the others by having very thin ligules (false petals). These are purple.
Pale Echinacea
Image – Wikimedia / Eric Hunt
Pale purple echinacea is a plant that reaches a height of between 45 and 90 centimeters tall. Its flowers have ligules are thin, linear and generally white in color.but they can be pale pink.
The Echinacea Paradox
It is known as yellow echinacea and it is a plant that is threatened in its place of origin. It grows up to 90 centimeters in height, and produces almost always yellow flowersbut there are also white and pink ones.
Echinacea purpurea
Image – Flickr / Matt Lavin
Is the common echinacea. It can reach 120 centimeters in height, and is therefore one of the largest of the genus. Its flowers are pink or purple. like the E. angustifoliaIt also has uses as a medicinal plant.
blood echinacea
Image – Wikimedia / Eric Hunt
The blood echinacea It is a plant that also grows up to 120 centimeters in height. Its flowers are whitish pink, and have a dark red conea characteristic that gives the surname. It is, without any doubt, a most curious variety.
What is?
Echinacea has several very interesting uses. The main one is ornamental. It is a plant of a more than decent size to grow in the garden, for example defining paths or paths. In addition, it grows very well in pots, and attracts insects such as bees or butterflies, which is why it is a good ally for both the farmer and those who grow plants for pleasure and / or consumption.
Another use is the medicinalby topical application. We have been talking before the Echinacea angustifolia and the Echinacea purpurea. Both are widely used for the benefits it brings to human health. For example, they have antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, digestive, aperitif, and antiviral properties. They strengthen the immune system and prevent infections from getting worse. In addition, they take care of the skin, healing wounds and ulcers.
Echinacea care and cultivation
Finally, we want you to know how to take care of it and cultivate it. In this way, you can enjoy a healthy and precious plant for a long time:
Location
It is important that it is placed outside from the first day, since it must be in direct sunlight. In this way, it will not only grow well, that is, with the stems vertical and not curved, but it will also have enough strength to bloom.
Soil or substrate
- Flower pot: it is a plant that will have a better development if it is kept in a pot with a universal growing substrate that contains 30% perlite (for sale here!). Also, the pot must have holes in its base.
- the garden– Lives on light soils that have good drainage and therefore absorb water quickly.
Irrigation
Echinaceae resist droughts quite well, as long as they are not very long and are in the ground. Thus, you have to water them an average of 2-3 times a weekspacing the waterings during the fall and winter so that the roots are not flooded.
In case of having them in pots, they will be watered about 3-4 times a week during the summer, but the rest of the year it has to be done once or at most two weekly.
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It must be paid during spring and summer. In those two seasons is when it is growing and, therefore, when it needs the compost the most. For this we recommend using organic products, since this also preserves the life of those insects that visit your flowers. For example, him earthworm humus, guano or compost are ideal for this plant.
Multiplication
Echinaceae multiply by seeds. These are advisable to sow in spring, since this way they will have a good part of the year to grow. But if the weather is mild or there are no frosts, it could also be done in early fall. The steps to follow are:
- The first is to choose and prepare the seedbed. We advise it to be a seedling tray like this, since this way you will have control over germination, but it could also be worth a pot or even a planter. In any case, it must be filled with substrate for seedlings (for sale here!) or universal substrate, and water conscientiously.
- Afterwards, the seeds will be sown. If they are going to be in a seedling tray, two will be put in each alveolus; if it is a pot no more than 3, and if it is a planter they could be placed at a distance of five centimeters from one to the other.
- They are then covered with substrate. The layer must be thin, since more than anything it will serve to prevent the sun from giving them so directly.
- Finally, the seedbed should be placed inside a plate or tray. Why? Because until the seeds germinate and the plants grow, it must be watered from below, that is, filling that plate or tray with water.
Then, it will be taken outside, in a sunny place, and it will be watered every time the land looks dry. A) Yes will germinate in about a week. As soon as they are 5-7 centimeters high, they should be peeled and planted in individual pots, or in the garden.
Plagues and diseases
It is a plant that can be affected by various pests and diseases. For instance:
- Pests: mites, mealybugs, aphids, whiteflies, all of them can be eliminated with diatomaceous earth, potassium soap of which you can see a video below, or neem oil (for sale here!). And also snails and slugs, which are not a pest as such, but given the damage they cause (they can even end it) it is important to have them controlled with specific products.
- Diseases: pathogenic bacteria, such as Pseudomonas chicoryior the cucumber mosaic virus are two of its most serious diseases. Others are those caused by pathogenic fungi, such as the phytophthora that rot the roots, or the powdery mildew that covers the leaves with a gray mold. To avoid this, avoid watering more than necessary, and keep the plant healthy. If there are symptoms, the affected parts should be removed whenever possible. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment against bacteria or viruses, but against fungi it is advisable to use fungicides that contain copper, such as this.
Transplant
Echinaceae grow fast, so they may need a pot change every two to three years or so. If you want to plant them in the ground, you have to wait first for them to take root well in the pot, that is, until their roots come out through the holes in the pot; afterwards, they can be moved to the garden in spring.
Rusticity
They withstand both heat and cold. They endure frosts down to -18ºC, and temperatures of 35ºC. Of course, they cannot lack water in the event of a longer and more intense heat wave than usual.
Where to buy Echinacea?
If you want to buy seeds, you can do it from right here. Have a happy planting.
