Most people have heard of one of America’s best-loved native plants, if not by its common name coneflower, then by its genus and herbal remedy name, echinacea. Coneflowers are members of the Asteraceae genus, of which there are ten species along with daisies, sunflowers and asters. The name “echinacea” is derived from the Greek for sea urchin, which refers to their spiny, conical centers.
In this article, I explore echinacea’s considerable contribution to the perennial garden, followed by a plant summary and profile chart. As perhaps the most prolific and ubiquitous perennial in my garden, I’ve named this website after it as well. Can you tell I’m a fan?