How Wide Is Echinacea Purpurea?

General Proportions

• The common form of Eastern coneflower, Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench, grows to a mature height of between 1 and 2 feet, in clumps that are roughly half as wide as the plants are high. This is true both of the base-clump of leaves and roots and of the top clusters of daisy-like flowers on single stems. Clumps should be planted, therefore, at least, 1 foot apart to allow for full growth of plants clustered together. Single plants should be given a radial foot of space to avoid eventual crowding.

Cultivar Proportions

• The names of cultivars suggest the wide variety of coneflowers now available: Razzmatazz, Mango Meadow Brightness, Magnus, Ruby Giant and Bright Star. Some cultivars enable gardeners to fit coneflower into compact spaces, but most push the boundaries of height, color and other desirable characteristics. Some cultivars maintain basic plant proportions: Pink Double Delight stands 18 to 24 inches high, with a width of 12 to 18 inches. Fragrant Angel has a fuller shape, 30 inches high and 24 inches wide. A number of cultivars have acquired even greater width. Coconut Lime, a green-tinged cultivar, is wider (30 to 36 inches) than it is high (24 to 30 inches).

Designing with Coneflower

• A mature Moench plant may stand 1 to 2 feet high; its taproot may extend 2 feet into the soil, improving drought tolerance. A more extensive root system makes dividing root clumps easier. These plants also spread out more on their own, creating larger coneflower patches.

Letting Coneflowers Go Wide and Wild

• For more informal garden designs, the oldest coneflower propagation strategy works very well. Some flowers are left uncut at the end of the blooming season, permitting seed heads to ripen and scatter. Birds, especially finches, nuthatches, chickadees and wrens, contribute to propagation by eating the seeds and dispersing them in their waste.