Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea), also known as the purple coneflower, is another one of those super medicinal plants that can be grown at home.
Health benefits of echinacea are legendary, and much of them backed by science. Echinacea is especially well known for boosting our immune systems. Research shows it increases the number of white blood cells, which fight infections.
The University of Connecticut performed a meta-analysis study that evaluated the effects of echinacea using 14 studies. It was determined that:
- Echinacea can reduce the chances of catching a common cold by 58%
- Echinacea reduces the duration of the common cold by almost one-and-a-half days
A cell study published in 2009 showed that various types of flu viruses, including potentially lethal bird flu and swine flu, were unable to infect cultured human cells that had been exposed to echinacea extract.
Echinacea was used by the Great Plains Indians as a painkiller. Some common ways to use echinacea products to combat pain is to drink herbal echinacea tea, or even make a paste out of the dried herb and rub it directly on the area that is affected.
Echinacea is also known as a laxative, anti-inflammatory agent, may help with upper respiratory issues and may even improve mental health (e.g., anxiety, social phobias, depression).
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Echinacea is a perennial prairie wildflower herb that grows in zones 3-9 and blooms in mid to late summer. A member of the daisy family, echinacea blooms profusely with big, attractive flowers of pink to purple florets around a cone of seeds that grow on strong stems far above the foliage.
It you like butterflies and finches, this plant will attract them to your garden.
How to Grow Echinacea Plants
You can grow echinacea from nursery transplants, but seeds are less expensive and pretty easy to germinate. However, you will need to artificially stratify the seeds unless your region has a consistently cold winter.
If you have consistently cold winters you can plant echinacea transplants in the late fall or early spring spaced about 12 inches apart.
For seeds sow thickly in the fall (after hard-frost in the north and before winter rains elsewhere), covering lightly to discourage birds from eating them. Seeds will germinate in the spring. Most plants will bloom during the second year – one reason it’s advantageous to start with transplants.
These are clump-forming plants that grow to 12 to 36 inches wide and up to 4 feet tall. The plants are sturdy and seldom require staking.
Be sure to follow these additional recommendations:
Light
Echinacea thrives in full to partial sun. Plants need at least four hours of sunlight per day.
Soil
While Echinacea tolerates poor rocky soil, it will not grow in wet, mucky soil. It’s best to mulch in a little compost in the planting bed before seeding or establishing transplants.
Water
Known for their low water use, you will still need to water young plants every day or every other day until they establish root systems. Eventually taper off to twice a week, then once a week, to every other week. Eventually you only need to water when your area is experiencing drought conditions.
The second year after planting, consider echinacea plants as drought-tolerant. You shouldn’t have to water unless eight weeks have gone by without rain.
Fertilizer
Perennials tend to need little in the way of supplemental food, although mulching in the spring with compost is a good idea.
Pruning
Prolong the already long bloom period of echinacea plants by deadheading them. Cut dead flowers back to a leaf where you can see a bud ready to swell and break. Toward the end of the bloom, leave some flowers on the plant to dry and go to seed.
Birds love to snack on the seeds.
Control size and delay blooming of the entire plant by cutting plants back in June to 30 inches tall. If you prune some of your plants, but not all of them, you’ll have a nice, long, staggered echinacea bloom season.
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Harvesting
The roots and aerial parts are used from the echinacea plant. The aerial parts are most often used for herbal teas, while the roots hold the most powerful medicine from the plant.
Harvesting the aerial parts can be done in the second year of growth. Harvesting the aerial parts is as simple as cutting the stem above the lowest pair of leaves. Strip the leaves and the flower buds from the stem and lay them flat to dry.
Once you have your roots harvested you’ll want to shake the dirt off the roots. Next rinse them in cold water and pat them dry.
After you have cleaned the dirt off the roots you can dry them or you can tincture them. Both options will require you to cut or chop the roots into pieces.
To dry your echinacea roots, take the cut pieces and lay them out on a screen in a well-ventilated area, out of direct sunlight. Let them sit for at least two weeks. Once they are dry place them in an airtight container, out of direct sunlight.
To preserve your leaves and buds simply take the dried parts and store them in a dark area in an airtight container until you are ready to make some tea.
How to Use It
Echinacea is most often used as a tincture or a decoction. A decoction is a tea made with roots. To make a decoction you simmer the roots for 10 minutes instead of brewing as you would with leaves and flowers. About a tablespoon of dried roots in a pint of water is a good starting point.
The tincture of echinacea can be placed in a tea, used as a throat spray or taken alone. It has a tingling effect on contact.
To prepare loose leaf echinacea tea:
- Place flowers, leaves and roots of an echinacea plant in a teacup. Be sure that the plant parts are free of dirt.
- Bring water to a boil and then let sit for a minute to reduce the temperature just slightly.
- Pour 8 ounces of water over the plant parts.
- Let the tea steep for as long as desired. It will usually take longer than steeping traditional teas and may take up to 15 minutes.
- Strain to remove the flowers, roots and leaves.
- Flavor to taste before drinking.
Add honey, ginger or other flavor enhancements and experiment with different flavors to find a combination that you enjoy.
Note:
While risks to consuming echinacea appear to be very low, the most common side effect is upset stomach.
Then again, some people (although this is rare) can have allergic reactions. If this happens, you might get rashes, experience worsening of asthma symptoms and even anaphylaxis.
You might be at higher risk of having a reaction to echinacea if you’re allergic to other plants in the daisy family. This includes ragweed, chrysanthemums and marigolds.
It’s a good idea to have a discussion with your medical professional before taking echinacea – or any medicinal plant product.
(Sources: americanmeadows.com and seedtopantryschool.com)
