surrounding my perennial and herb gardens are coneflowers. technically, Echinacea are considered herbaceous plants from the daisy family of flowers.
i love the colors and the size of my various species of plants. i have been adding them around my garden fence over the past few years. this year, i added three new plants, and hope to see them grow into their space around the fence. they prefer the sun and don’t require lots of water, making them perfect for this spot in my garden.
the North American Plains Indians used Echinacea for their herbal qualities, and some people today support that extract from the plant can be used to treat the common cold. there is no firm evidence that this is true.
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plant researchers have found nine different species of coneflowers based on DNA analysis. the spiny central area of the flower is my favorite part of the plant. some have referred to that area as a “sea urchin” with spines that are prickly. echino is the Greek word for sea urchin.
