Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower
Echinacea is a well-known and one of the most sought-after popular herbal remedies in the western world, with a long traditional usage amongst the Native American tribes to treat symptoms of the common cold and flu viruses, fight infections, assist fevers, inflammation, heal wounds and gently cleanse the system.
It grows wild in open woods thickets and prairies from Louisiana, Northeast Texas, and Eastern Oklahoma north Ohio, Mitcham, and eastward.
It does grow well in my garden in South Australia but can be a bit tricky. It likes rich
soil and can easily be killed by too much water if the roots get waterlogged. The seeds germinate better if given cold treatment in the fridge before sowing, keep plants in a pot till roots are well developed as I hadn’t had success in sowing directly in the soil.
Echinacea was my very first plant tincture that I made so long ago and therefore holds a sentimental value.
The whole plant is used, with my preference being the fresh plant extract, as valuable plant constituents are lost in the drying process of this plant.
Nutritional constituent vitamins A, C, and E, minerals iron, iodine, copper, potassium, and sulfur are found in the echinacea plant.
The information provided is for educational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Consult your medical care provider before using herbal medicine, particularly if you have a known medical condition, are on any medication, and if you are pregnant or nursing.