Everwilde Farms - 1 oz Tennessee Coneflower Native Wildflower Seeds - Gold Vault Bulk Seed Packet

Once on the verge of extinction, this dark pink variety now spreads its bright rays in many gardens. Personally, it is our favorite Echinacea with its petals curving upward, just above compact dark green leaves. The blooms also follow the sun across the sky like a sunflower. All the members of the Echinacea genus are native to North America, though they are becoming more rare in the wild. The genus name Echinacea comes from the Greek word for "hedgehog," referring to the spiny seed head of the flower. Historically, this family of plants has been extensively used by Native American tribes and early settlers because of its beneficial medicinal properties. Echinacea acts as a natural antibiotic, and improves the function of the immune system; it became very popular in the medical field in the early twentieth century, particularly after the extensive researches of the German Dr. Gerhard Madaus. Echinacea is still widely used as an herbal remedy, as well as being a common and well-loved addition to perennial gardens and prairie plantings.