Echinacea Purpurea with bee pollinator on white background.
Trio Echinacea Purpurea held by gardener.
Echinacea Purpurea growing in garden.
Echinacea Purpurea with bee pollinator on white background.
Trio Echinacea Purpurea held by gardener.
Echinacea Purpurea growing in garden.

Echinacea Seeds,
Purpurea

4.313 ReviewsSKU: #HB119Min. seed count: 50
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Description

A beautiful purple wildflower and well-known medicinal herb with numerous uses. Excellent. Showy flowers bloom on tall, sturdy stalks.

Growing Tips: Start plants in containers indoors, keeping moist until sprouts appear and set out after last frost or direct sow in the garden, about two weeks before last frost.

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Echinacea purpurea
Life Cycle
Perennial
Sun Requirement
4–12 hr.
Days to Germinate
10–15
Days to Maturity
74–90
Planting Depth
⅛ in.
Plant Spacing
8–10 in.
Ideal Temperature
65–90°F
Frost Hardy
Yes

When to Grow

Purpurea needs less time than most coneflowers here, maturing in roughly 74 to 90 days. Sow 1/8 inch deep in containers indoors 8-12 weeks before your last frost, hold the soil relatively moist, and expect sprouts in about 10 to 15 days at 65-70°F; transplant after the last frost, or direct sow in the garden about two weeks before it. Space plants 8 to 10 inches apart to give the tall, sturdy stalks room and air. It overwinters as a perennial in Zones 3-8.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Seeds germinate in 10-30 days.
  • Start indoors 8-12 weeks before last frost or direct sow seeds outdoors before last frost (you can direct sow in the fall and allow seeds to sit over winter).
  • Sow seeds 1/4- 1/2 inch deep.
  • Ideal germination temperature is 65-70 F.
  • Keep soil relatively moist until germinated.

How to Grow

  • Plants are very adaptable and will tolerate a wide range of conditions, but will perform their very best when given full sun and rich, well-drained soil.
  • Space plants 12-24 inches apart.
  • Keep plants deadheaded to promote blooming.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

A generally disease-free plant.

  • Be sure to keep echinacea free of powdery mildew and rots by not overcrowding plants.
  • Poor air circulation and very poorly drained soil can lead to fungal issues for the plants.

How to Save Seeds

  • Allow the flowerhead containing the seeds to completely mature and dry on the plant, then clip off the flowerhead and place in a container.
  • Working over the top of another clean, opened container, rub the flowerheads between the palms, breaking them apart.
  • The small, blackish seeds can be separated from the chaff by first screening and then winnowing.

FAQ

What is Purpurea grown for?

It is the classic of the genus: a beautiful purple wildflower and a well-known medicinal herb with numerous uses. Showy flowers bloom on tall, sturdy stalks.

How long does Purpurea take to reach maturity?

About 74 to 90 days, quicker than most of the coneflowers in this range, which commonly need 120 days or more. Keeping plants deadheaded promotes further blooming.

Can I save my own Purpurea seed?

Yes, with two cautions. Purpurea is insect-pollinated and largely self-incompatible, so a single plant or a stand of one clone sets little filled seed; grow a group of unrelated plants if you want more than chaff. It also crosses freely with other Echinacea varieties and species, so isolate it from them, or save seed only from a planting of this variety alone, if you want seed that comes true to the straight purple species. Then let the flowerhead mature and dry completely on the plant, clip it off, and rub the heads between your palms over a clean container to break them apart. The small, blackish seeds can then be separated from the chaff by screening and winnowing.
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