Celebrate Cone-Chella: Why Coneflowers Deserve the Spotlight
This August, we're turning our love for one of summer's most iconic perennials into a celebration. Welcome to Cone-Chella—a weekend dedicated to all things coneflowers, featuring hundreds of blooming varieties, garden walks, special promotions, and plenty of inspiration for your own landscape.
Join us in taking a closer look at the plant that inspired it all: the Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). Beloved by gardeners, pollinators, and plant breeders alike, coneflowers have earned their place as one of the most dependable—and beautiful—perennials you can grow.
Read more about this stunning plant below and shop our Coneflower collection online.
From Prairie Native to Garden Favorite
Coneflowers are native to the prairies and open woodlands of North America, where they've thrived for thousands of years. Long before they became staples in home gardens, Native American tribes recognized their medicinal value, using various parts of the plant to treat wounds, infections, and colds.
The name Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos, meaning "sea urchin," a reference to the plant's distinctive spiny center cone. Over time, settlers adopted many of its traditional uses, and by the late 1800s, Echinacea had become a popular herbal remedy in both the United States and Europe.
Today, while many people still recognize Echinacea for its historical herbal uses, gardeners know it best for its incredible landscape performance.
A Modern Garden Superstar
Over the past several decades, plant breeders have transformed the classic purple coneflower into an impressive collection of colors, forms, and sizes. While the original purple varieties remain timeless, today's gardeners can choose from vibrant shades of pink, white, yellow, orange, coral, red, and even green.
Whether planted in sweeping masses, mixed perennial borders, or pollinator gardens, coneflowers provide months of color with very little maintenance.
Why We Love Coneflowers
They're Pollinator Magnets
Coneflowers are a favorite destination for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects throughout the summer. As the flowers mature, their seed heads become a valuable food source for goldfinches and other songbirds well into fall.
They're Built for Midwest Gardens
Once established, coneflowers are remarkably drought tolerant and thrive in full sun. They're easy to grow, resilient through changing weather, and perform beautifully in a wide range of soil conditions.
They Bloom for Months
Unlike many perennials that offer only a brief show, coneflowers bloom from early summer into fall, providing reliable color when many other plants begin to fade.
They Support Native Ecosystems
As a North American native perennial, coneflowers play an important role in supporting local wildlife and promoting biodiversity. Adding them to your landscape helps create healthier habitats for pollinators while bringing natural beauty to your garden.
Whether you're planting your very first coneflower or looking to expand an established perennial garden, Cone-Chella is the perfect opportunity to explore new varieties, learn from our experts, and celebrate one of the stars of the summer garden.
We hope you'll join us this August and see why coneflowers continue to be one of the most rewarding plants you can grow. Their beauty, resilience, and ability to support pollinators make them a perennial favorite—and the perfect reason to celebrate at Cone-Chella.
Shop our Coneflower collection online.