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http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PATUX 14 July 2010 Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

This perennial Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) was planted in the garden five years ago, from a pot purchased from a nursery. It enlarges each year and the blooms last most of the Summer. It is one of my favorite flowers. The flowers look like rockets in flight.

It's lovely, Durgan. I have grown some from seed this year - they are still tiny, but fingers crossed they look like that next year! Is that all one plant, or lots of smaller ones close together?

bonniethomas06 wrote:It's lovely, Durgan. I have grown some from seed this year - they are still tiny, but fingers crossed they look like that next year! Is that all one plant, or lots of smaller ones close together?

I started with one plant. The clump is the spread, so it is probably many plants. I never touch the clump, just let it expand and grow as it desires.

I grew some from seed earlier this year, our local cheap n cheerful shop had little kits in to grow them for a quid so I thought I would give em a go. Only 6 have made it so far, they're only about 4/5 inches high but I live in hope that they will make it !

I have 4 of them and love them, but oh they need so much water. They yellow and the leaves go all brown and crispy if not watered practically every day. I really ought to give up on that kind of plant but I love them!

Now down to just 2 plants, still only about 5" high.  ive been growing them for months, they don't seem to have grown for ages now. Do they usually take such a long time ? Or am I flogging a dead horse ?

I've grown some from seed and they are extremely slow growing plants! Don't expect flowers the first year and they take about 5 years before you get a decent sized plant with lots of flowers on it - though that might be dependant on your soil/moisture content too - they don't like my dry garden despite me watering them lots. But if you are patient you get there eventually - here's one of mine......

That looks like a lovely display you have there MMM.
I grew some from seed last year and although only 2 survived out of about 40 seedlings they have flowered this year.