The Many Varieties of The Herb Echinacea Or The Coneflower
Mary Hanna
The coneflower or the Herb Echinacea has caused a great splash with
gardeners and herbalists in the past couple of years. There have been
many studies done in Germany which seems to support the ideas that the
coneflower does indeed boost the immune system. Gardeners love the Herb
Echinacea because of it hardiness and long blooming season July through
fall. Herbalists love it for its medicinal qualities. The plant was
named from the Greek "echinos" meaning Hedgehog. It is believed that
they named it that for its sharp and pointy flower bracts. The conical
center is why it is called Coneflower. In addition, gardeners love the
fact that the Herb Echinacea attracts birds and butterflies.
There are nine species of the coneflower. All of them are native to
North America. We will be examining four of the species that are widely
available. You can choose one coneflower or mix it up with two or three
to make it more interesting.
For a smaller coneflower (10 to 24 inches) choose the Black Sampson
variety. The plant grows from the Canadian border south, all the way to
Texas. The stems of this plant are hairy, with narrow leaves and rose
pink flowers. This is the smallest of the Echinacea species. The
flowers are 2 ½ to 3 inches in diameter when in full bloom.
The research on the Herb Echinacea suggests that the medicinal
qualities of the Echinacea are in the roots. Unfortunately, mass
collection of the Black Sampson has endangered it.
Tennessee Coneflower is also on the endangered list. This coneflower
only grows in central Tennessee and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife agency
licenses the nurseries planning on selling this species. This Herb
Echinacea will grow two or 3 feet.. The leaves are a darkish green with
flowers that are a deep pink with green centers and upturned petals.
As noted above, the nurseries must be licensed, so look to the internet
for sources.
There are two kinds of purple coneflowers, the Pale Purple coneflower
and the Purple coneflower. The pale purple coneflower is 3-6 inches in
diameter. It is best situated in sunny sites with good drainage. It is
found in the Midwest and south to Louisiana. These three feet tall
plants start their blooming in July and will last until the frost
months.
The Purple Coneflower, known for its medicinal qualities is the most
widely used of the species. Most gardeners make use of this Echinacea
herb. This is a big plant, three to four feet tall with large flowers
about four to six inches in diameter. The flowers are quite lovely with
reddish purple petals tipped in green. The centers are orange and there
petals will droop. They are so droopy that in the Ozarks their name is
droopy. There leaves can be jagged or smooth and are a medium green
color. Many florists use these in their arrangements because of their
durable stalks.
The Herb Echinacea was revered by the Native Americans and in Montana
they are alarmed that it is being over harvested. They used the
coneflower to treat health problems like respiratory infections and
snakebites. In the 19th century Echinacea was use to purify blood. It
was also used to treat dizziness. In the next century, before the use
of antibiotics, it was used to treat colds and flu. Now it is popular
in treating upper respiratory illness. It is becoming increasing
popular in reducing itch and to soothe the skin.
If using the Herb Echinacea for medicinal purposes it is best used in
its fresh state. The plant must grow for three years before the roots
become beneficial. If you are buying the Herb Echinacea from a health
food store, chew a small piece first. If it does not numb your tongue
and you don't produce more saliva, the roots are either too old or
improperly dried. It is not healthy to ingest Echinacea over a long
period of time. Give your immune system a break so you do not build up
a tolerance for Echinacea.
The Herb Echinacea is now the third most popular herb sold in the
United States.
Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. She
has published other articles on Gardening and Cooking. Visit her
websites at
http://www.gardeninglandscapingtips.com ,
http://www.gardeningoutside.com, or http://www.gardeningherb.com.
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