Echinacea Purple Coneflower

Few plants define the late summer garden quite like the Purple Coneflower. Echinacea purpurea produces large, daisy-like flowers with drooping magenta-pink petals surrounding a prominent coppery-orange central cone — iconic, architectural, and completely loved by wildlife.

A tough, reliable hardy perennial that dies back in winter and returns with increased vigour each spring, it blooms tirelessly from midsummer through to the first frosts. The central cone provides a perfect landing pad for butterflies and bees; in autumn it hardens and turns black, offering architectural winter interest and a vital seed source for goldfinches. Listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators.

• Echinacea purpurea — Hardy Perennial (H5)
• Height: 90–120cm | Flowers: July–October
• Approximately 50 seeds per packet
• Sow indoors February–April at 20°C; surface sow with fine vermiculite
• Full sun; well-drained, moderately fertile soil
• Drought-tolerant once established — improves year on year
• Leave seed heads standing over winter for birds and structure
• RHS Plants for Pollinators listed

Grow it with Rudbeckia Autumn Forest for a warm autumnal combination that keeps the garden alive with colour and wildlife well into October.