Cheyenne Spirit

Class

Dicotyledons

Division

Angiospermae

Family

Asteraceae or Compositae

Order

Asterales

Genus

Echinacea

Species

purpurea

Description

A perennial ornamental herbaceous plant used in landscaping to give distinctive character to flowerbeds or borders as well as outdoor planters and tubs, also in mixed arrangements with other species. In recent years,Echinacea purpurea has become increasingly popular due to the spontaneous and refined effect of its long stems with the distinctive flower head inflorescences at the top with a prominent central disc and a ray bearing petals with a wide range of colours depending on the variety grown. Rustic, it tolerates summer heat and winter cold, expressing its best vegetative vigour with bright exposures in soil free of waterlogging.

Varietal description

A perennial plant with very large, showy daisy-like flowers, flowering for a very long time from early summer to early winter. Within the species there is a wide range of colours and habit.

curiosity and special features

The term Echinacea derives from the Greek echînos or thorny in reference to the slightly pointed bracts of the receptacle, while the specific epithet purpurea means red-purple in relation to the colour shades of the petals of some varieties.

At the end of flowering it is possible to cut off the inflorescences by removing the ligule and drying them upside down to make elegant dried arrangements, but do not forget to leave some in the garden as a source of food for birds during the colder period.

The non-ornamental species of echinacea were already cultivated by Native Americans in North America and used in phytotherapy for toothaches, sore throats, colds and coughs; even today, echinacin, a substance extracted from these species, is still used in herbal medicine to treat flu infections, dermatitis and wounds.

Origin and Diffusion

The genus Echinacea comprises nine herbaceous perennial species, three of which are cultivated for their curative properties while the other five are of ornamental interest, including E. purpurea, native to the central and eastern United States. Described from the 18th century onwards and classified by the physician and naturalist Carlo Linneo, it has been the subject of intense genetic improvement work that has led today to a wide assortment of varieties with different heights as well as flowers of various sizes and colour shades. The separation of the botanical genera Echinacea and Rudbeckia was confirmed in 1959.

Flower size

Flower individually is Medium in size.

Leaf

The leaf has a lanceolate lamina, slightly rough to the touch.E. purpurea develops a rosette of basal leaves as well as leaves distributed along the scapes.

Flowering period

The showy flowering period lasts from mid-spring to early autumn and lasts between 90 and 120 days, a time frame that allows you to add ornamental value to your green spaces for a long time.

Inflorescence

Inflorescence head, typical of species belonging to the botanical family Compositae.

Leaf color

Solid colours.

Plant height

The height of the plant varies from 0.5 to 0.8 m, visually reinforced by the long stems bearing the characteristic inflorescence at the top, which takes on a primary role becoming a focal point even in mixed compositions with other ornamentals.

Lifespan

A herbaceous perennial, it sheds its aerial part in winter and then vegetates again in spring.

Suggested planting locations

Loved by landscapers and gardening enthusiasts at all levels of experience to add a distinctive ornamental accent to flower beds, planters

Stem/stem

The herbaceous stem is rigid and erect, tending to reddish; the variety has no thorns.

Flower

The flower is daisy-shaped, medium-sized, with a pinkish corolla and solid-coloured petals. It is arranged in head-like inflorescences of medium size. It flowers from mid-spring to early autumn, with a flowering period of between 90 and 120 days. It is attractive to bees and butterflies.

Growth

Variety with medium to vigorous growth.

Plant habit

The erect habitus is visually reinforced by the long stems bearing head-like inflorescences at the top.

branching

The branching is on the whole average with a suitable development of flower stems.

pH

It prefers a slightly acidic soil or substrate pH between 6.0 and 6.5.

soil preparation

Before transplanting the bed in late spring, carry out 20/30 cm deep digging, removing any weeds, previous crop residues and cumbersome pebbles, then continue by using a hoe, breaking up the coarser clods to obtain greater softness. Finally, distribute professional quality substrate for ornamental plants on the surface for about 5/10 cm and level off with the help of a rake.

sun exposure

For best flowering, expose the plant to half shade, full sun, ensuring that it is watered in proportion to its needs.

Ideal climate and temperature

Suitable for temperate climates. The ideal temperature is between 15 and 25 °C. The biological temperature is between 10 and 30 °C.

Use

Appreciated for its distinctive inflorescences in

Outdoor ornamental

Hardiness

Ahighly rustic variety, it requires little cultivation care and tolerates both summer heat and winter cold well, even in icy soil conditions.

Soil/medium

E. purpurea adapts to different soil conditions, but prefers a medium-textured, weed-free, fertile and well-draining soil; for planters or pots use a high-quality spring plant substrate containing peat and perlite.

Maintenance

The easy cultivation and low level of management effort add further value to the plant, also with a view to the design and construction of low-maintenance green areas.

cultivation tips

For better vegetative growth and lush flowering, some variety-specific cultivation measures are given below:

Balanced fertilisation Avoid over-watering Require little but regular fertilisation

Composition

E. purpurea is suitable for use in mixed compositions with other ornamentals where it creates landscape-value perspective movements with its colourful inflorescences; it is possible to create groups by combining multiple varieties with different shades of inflorescences in a perfect chromatic harmony or to compose schemes with species such as Aster, Coreopsis, Delphinium, Digitalis, Echinops, Eryngium, Helenium, Nepeta, Veronica.

When transplanting, take care to space each plant correctly, arranging them in bands in relation to the height reached.

planting

When transplanting into the flowerbed, prepare the planting holes in advance, applying an average planting density of 12 plants per square metre. Position each seedling on a raised bed with the collar outside the soil surface, taking care not to damage the roots and avoiding completely sinking the root balls, which must be well moistened; finally, water immediately after planting, preferably during the morning hours, but avoiding water stagnation. To reduce competitiveness with weeds, a layer of mulch can be spread over the flowerbed.

pruning

Cut off the withered inflorescence at the base of the stem.

Reproduction/Propagation

Multiplication can be by seed or by division of the head.

Irrigation

E. purpurea does not tolerate waterlogging, expressing its best growth vigour in well-drained soil. Use rainwater, or alternatively aqueduct water with a sub-acidic optimum pH, either manually or with an irrigation system. At transplanting provide an initial abundant wetting and assist the seedling in its new planting site. Afterwards, keep the soil or substrate moist, preventing water stress that compromises the vegetation.

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Fertilization

After a proper post-transplant settlement, from mid-spring until the end of autumn, apply a specific liquid fertiliser for ornamental plants to the soil or substrate, to be diluted in the irrigation water in appropriate doses and frequencies as stated on the relevant information label.

Pet friendly

Ingestion toxicity for pets not known. Consider the specific case.

Edibility for humans

Non-edible ornamental Species.

Human toxicity

Ingestion toxicity not known; avoid intake as ornamental echinacea species are not edible.

advise 1

Avoid planting plants in very sunny and poorly watered beds. Remove dry vegetation at the end of winter.