Purple coneflower Bressingham hybrids Echinacea purpurea Bressingham hybrids

👤 Non-toxic to humans

🐾 Non-toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

Bressingham hybrids is an upright perennial to 90cm tall with dark green, toothed, hairy leaves. Daisy-like flowerheads with bronze-orange central cones surrounded by ray florets ranging in colour from pale pink to red-purple are borne from summer into autumn

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Asteraceae
- Synonyms
  Eastern Purple Coneflower, Purple Coneflower, Bressingham Hybrids Coneflower
- Common names
  Echinacea purpurea Bressingham hybrids.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Varies
- Height
  3 feet (0.91 meters)
- Spread
  2 feet (0.61 meters)
- Plant type
  Herb
- Hardiness zones
  3-8
- Native area
  North America

Benefits

General Benefits
- Attracts Pollinators: Echinacea purpurea is known for attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects to the garden, helping to pollinate plants.
- Drought Tolerance: Once established, these plants are highly drought-resistant, making them suitable for xeriscaping and low-water gardens.
- Easy to Grow: Echinacea, also known as Purple Coneflower, is adaptable to a variety of soil conditions and is relatively low-maintenance, ideal for beginner gardeners.
- Long Blooming Period: Purple Coneflower has a long flowering season, often from early summer to autumn, providing lasting color in the garden.
- Wildlife Support: The seeds of the Purple Coneflower can be a food source for birds, particularly finches, in the fall and winter.
- Landscape Design: With its vibrant purple flowers and upright habit, Echinacea purpurea can be used in mass plantings, borders, or as a focal point in garden design.
- Seasonal Interest: Echinacea provides visual interest throughout the growing season with its bright flowers and in winter with its seed heads that offer a unique texture.
- Cut Flower: The flowers are excellent for cutting and can be used in bouquets, maintaining their color and shape well when cut.
Medical Properties
- Immune system support: Echinacea is believed to boost the immune system, potentially reducing the duration and severity of colds and other infections.
- Anti-inflammatory properties: It may help reduce inflammation, aiding in the relief of symptoms related to various inflammatory conditions.
- Antimicrobial effects: Echinacea has demonstrated potential in fighting against bacteria, viruses, and fungal infections.
- Antioxidant properties: The plant contains compounds with antioxidant effects, which could help protect cells from damage by free radicals.
- Wound healing: Topical applications of Echinacea have been traditionally used to enhance wound healing due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
- Skin health: It may be used as an ingredient in skincare products to improve skin hydration and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Echinacea, specifically the Bressingham hybrid, can be used as a natural pest deterrent in gardens due to its strong scent that some pests find unappealing.
- The sturdy stems of Echinacea can be used in floral arrangements to provide height and structure to the design.
- Dried Echinacea seed heads can add an interesting texture to winter gardens or as part of dried flower arrangements.
- The vibrant petals of Echinacea can be used to create natural dyes for textiles, giving fabrics a soft, earthy tone.
- Pressed Echinacea flowers can be used in craft projects, such as making bookmarks, cards, or for botanical art pieces.
- Echinacea leaves can be used as a natural mulch, providing nutrients to the soil as they decompose.
- The nectar-rich Echinacea is a valuable plant for butterfly gardens to attract and support these pollinators.
- Artists may use Echinacea as a subject in botanical illustration due to its distinct cone-shaped center and colorful petals.
- Echinacea's roots can be used to anchor soil in areas prone to erosion, thanks to their deep and strong root system.
- As a companion plant in vegetable gardens, Echinacea can help attract beneficial insects that prey on garden pests.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The Purple Coneflower is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The Purple Coneflower is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Healing: Echinacea, also known as purple coneflower, is widely recognized for its medicinal properties, particularly as an herb that boosts the immune system and fights infections.
- Strength: The sturdy stems and resilient nature of the plant symbolize strength and the ability to stand firm against adversity.
- Purity: The bright and clean appearance of the flowers represents purity and cleanliness.
- Beauty: With its striking purple petals and prominent conical center, the purple coneflower symbolizes natural beauty and attraction.
- Survival: Echinacea's ability to thrive in poor soil and harsh conditions makes it a symbol of survival and resilience.

💧

Every 1-2 weeks

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Not needed

Repotting

🌱️

Spring to early summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
Coneflowers should be watered deeply but infrequently to promote strong root growth. Once established, they are quite drought-tolerant and usually require watering only when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. During active growth in the spring and summer, watering once a week with approximately one to two gallons per plant is usually sufficient. Reduce watering frequency in the fall and water sparingly in winter, as the plant is dormant and excess moisture can lead to root rot.
Light
Coneflowers thrive in full sun conditions, meaning they should receive at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. The best spot for them is in an open area where they can enjoy uninterrupted sunshine throughout the day. They are adaptable and can tolerate some light shade, but blooming may be reduced in less than ideal light conditions.
Temperature
Coneflowers prefer a temperate range, performing best in temperatures between 65 to 75°F. They can survive minimum temperatures down to about -30°F and are hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9. They can endure hot summers with temperatures reaching up to 85°F or slightly higher without issue.
Pruning
Pruning coneflowers can enhance their appearance and encourage bushier growth. Deadheading, or removing spent flowers, can also stimulate a second bloom. Cut back the plants to about 4 inches in late autumn or early spring before new growth begins. Pruning is usually performed after the first flowering has ceased or the foliage has started to die back in the fall.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
The best soil mix for Echinacea, commonly known as coneflower, should be well-drained and loamy. It is important to add organic matter like compost to enrich the mixture. Coneflowers perform best in soil with a pH ranging from 6.0 to 8.0, with 6.5 being ideal.
Repotting
Coneflowers typically do not require frequent repotting and can thrive in the same spot for several years. It is generally recommended to divide and repot these perennials every 3-4 years to ensure vigor and prevent overcrowding.
Humidity & Misting
Coneflowers are tolerant of a wide range of humidity levels and do not require specific humidity conditions. They are suitable for average outdoor humidity and adapt to typical garden environments.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place coneflower in a bright spot; water when soil feels dry.
- Outdoor
  Plant in sunny location; ensure good drainage and space.
- Hardiness zone
  3-9 USDA
Life cycle
Echinacea purpurea 'Bressingham Hybrids', commonly known as the coneflower, begins its life as a seed that germinates in late winter to early spring, provided the soil is moist and temperatures are mild. Seedlings emerge and develop into rosettes with deep taproots that anchor the plant and help it withstand periods of drought. As the plant matures, typically in its second year, it produces sturdy, upright stems and large, daisy-like purple-pink flowers with prominent central cones throughout the summer months. The blooms attract numerous pollinators such as bees and butterflies, which are essential for the cross-pollination required for seed production. Once the flowering period concludes in late summer or early fall, the seed heads dry and remain on the plant, dispersing seeds for the next generation or providing food for birds. With the onset of winter, the plant dies back to the ground, entering a period of dormancy until the cycle recommences in spring.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring to early summer
- Echinacea purpurea, commonly known as Purple Coneflower, is a popular perennial that gardeners often propagate through division. This method is best performed in the spring or autumn when the plant is not in peak bloom. To propagate by division, carefully excavate around the Echinacea plant to lift it from the ground while protecting its root structure. Once the plant is lifted, use a sharp, clean spade or knife to divide the clump into sections, ensuring each new section has a piece of the root system attached. Replant the divisions promptly, spacing them about 12 to 18 inches (approximately 30 to 46 centimeters) apart, and water them well to help establish the new plants. Over time, these divisions will mature into full plants with the same characteristics as the original specimen.