Can I Cut & Propagate Echinacea?

Echinacea

• Echinacea, also known as coneflower, is a family of blooming perennials with ornamental and medicinal uses, although its medicinal uses have come into question in recent years. Regardless, echinacea makes a beautiful addition to a garden landscape. Echinacea attracts beneficial soldier beetles, which eat aphids and caterpillars, and attracts goldfinches and butterflies. The plant is highly prized by gardeners who propagate it at home.

Caring for Echinacea

• Coneflower is a hardy and long-lasting plant -- hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone 3. It withstands winter temperatures down to minus 35 or minus 40 degrees. Echinacea flowers best in full sun although it tolerates light shade. It has a deep taproot making it drought tolerant once established. Deadheading is not necessary but results in more blooms. Division is also rarely necessary for plant health but may be accomplished every 3 to 4 years for propagation. The plants are tolerant of disease and insect pests and usually require no herbicides or pesticides.

Propagation Using Seeds

• When using seeds for propagation, keep in mind that coneflowers often cross-pollinate and may not breed true to the parent plant. You may germinate a coneflower that looks substantially different from the parent. To propagate by seed, place a mesh bag or piece of pantyhose over the flower and allow it to dry completely on the stalk. The bag collects the seeds as the plant dries. The seeds require 60 to 90 days of cold stratification. Sow them outdoors in the fall or keep them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until spring. At that point, germinate the seeds in trays. Plant them 1/4 inch deep or less, two seeds per container. Echinacea usually germinates within 10 days, although it can sometimes take two or three weeks. Transplant them after at least two weeks of growth in trays.

  The seeds require 60 - 90 days of cold stratification, so sow them outdoors in the fall or keep them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until spring. At that point, the seeds should be germinated in trays; plant them 1/4 inch deep or less, two seeds per container. Echinacea usually germinates within 10 days (though it can sometimes take two or three weeks) and can be transplanted after at least two weeks of growth in trays (Reference 5).

Propagation by Division

• While propagation by seed produces interesting new varieties of coneflower, propagation by division produces predictable results. Divided plants are clones of the parent plant. When dividing echinacea, less is more. Wait 3 to 4 years between divisions to ensure solid growth but no more than 4 years, as the plant's deep taproot makes it difficult to divide successfully after that time. When dividing echinacea, "don't be greedy," say the experts at coneflower.com. Three or four divisions of one plant, each with healthy root systems, are more likely to survive than eight or 10 smaller specimens. Cut through the root ball carefully with a sharp knife to divide the plants. Then plant each division at the same depth as the parent. Keep the soil moist but not wet for at least three weeks after propagation, allowing the earth to dry thoroughly between waterings. Once established, the new plants need no special upkeep except during extreme drought conditions.

  When dividing echinacea, "don't be greedy," say the experts at coneflower.com. Three or four divisions of one plant, each with healthy root systems, are more likely to survive than eight or ten smaller specimens. Cut through the root ball carefully with a sharp knife to divide the plants, then plant each division at the same depth as the parent. Keep the soil moist but not wet for at least three weeks after propagation, allowing the earth to dry thoroughly between waterings. Once established, the new plants will need no special upkeep except during extreme drought conditions.