Echinacea - flowers that belong to herbaceous perennials from the family Asteraceae. They combine both highly decorative and healing properties. Today, these plants are extremely popular with flower growers and landscapers in many countries of the world.
Of particular interest to them is the fact that recently breeders have bred dozens of new varieties. A completely new, most curious echinacea appeared. Flowers now differ not only in the size of inflorescences and the height of plants. They have a different structure, the color of the leaves, and even they smell differently.
Today, many gardeners use elongated flower gardens where multi-row planting is used. In them, flowering begins from the earliest spring and does not stop until late autumn. These are the so-called mixborders. Plants are selected and planted in height, and as an addition, individual stones or any other elements can serve. Not a single flower garden today is complete without the perennial so beautiful in its simplicity as echinacea. These flowers are planted not only of one species, numerous varieties of plants are used. And, in principle, a beautifully flowering mixborder can be created from echinacea alone.
Varietal representatives of Echinacea begin to bloom in July and continue until the very frosts. They prefer sunny places and fertile soil. With good care, they will delight you with their presence for many years. The color palette is the most diverse. Here, white and purple, and pink, yellow, orange-salmon and even greenish-lemon shades. The contrast between the center of the flower and the color of the petals is especially beautiful.
In summer cottages, decorative echinacea purpurea (photo below) and strange are most often used for decorative purposes. The first has beautiful large flowers. Their diameter reaches 12 cm, and their core is brownish and rises above the petals, like a dome. Strange Echinacea is the only representative of yellow color, which gives it special value.
The seeds of these plants germinate for a long time (10-40 days) and need heat and humidity. Therefore, it is preferable to sow them in a greenhouse, and plant in seedlings in open ground. The plant responds well to watering, but at the same time refers to drought-resistant species. Feeding with compost is advisable, you need to do this annually. These flowers calmly tolerate frosts, winter without shelter, including purple coneflower. Planting and caring for these plants do not require any special knowledge. It is enough to water, feed in time, and already from the second year, echinacea will delight you with regular and violent flowering. Propagated both by seeds and division of bushes. The latter should be performed only in the spring. This is done early, while the leaves have not yet fully developed.
Along with beauty and decorativeness, the healing properties of the plant are also used. Moreover, the whole Echinacea is used. Flowers, leaves, stems, roots - all this is used for decoctions and tinctures. This plant is especially valuable in that it increases the production of interferon in the body. If at the beginning of the disease you take a shock dose (50 drops) of tincture, then the disease will end there. Echinacea preparations have an analgesic effect, and have a stimulating effect on the nervous system. A decoction from it is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent and helps a lot with bruises and wounds. And even in cooking , echinacea found its application. Its young leaves are used in salads and as a seasoning.