08/16/2025
Lots of lovely echinacea just came in this week, and isn’t it gorgeous? 😍
The variety pictured here is ‘Sombrero Blanco’
Echinacea is beloved by bees butterflies, and other beneficials, so if you’re looking so support the wild life in your garden, it is a great choice!
If you leave the spent flowers up through the fall, they provide good foraging for birds as well 🐦
Fun fact: The name Echinacea comes from the Greek word ekhinos, meaning “hedgehog or sea urchin” because of their spiky centers 🦔
As many of you probably already know, echinacea is a medicinal plant, and can be used in herbal medicine and teas, and is commonly taken as a supplement to prevent the common cold and boost our immune system. Historically, echinacea has been used by indigenous Americans to treat toothaches, sore throats, snakebites and even blood poisoning, so as you can see, it is a pretty amazing plant! 🌱
Echinacea thrives in full to partial sun, and appreciates some good compost at the time of planting 👍
Once established, it is very low maintenance and drought tolerant. As such, it does not grow well in wet, soggy soil, so a good trick when planting in our PNW climate is to build a slight mound and plant it in the middle, so any excess moisture runs off. That being said, they will still need regular watering through the summer until they get established 💦
