Commercially, echinacea root, flowers and leaves are used to make herbal supplements and essential oils, but for the home gardener, that kind of processing and extraction is not possible. However, the leaves and flower petals contain vitamin C and can be used fresh or dried to make a herbal tea for soothing a sore throat and easing aches and pains caused by the common cold and flu.
It is important to check the medicinal properties before use. As with all edible flowers, use sparingly until you know how they affect you, especially if you have plant allergies.
What’s to like
Echinacea produces striking flower heads and should not be confined to the herb garden. Plants grow up to 80cm and flower towards the end of summer and into autumn.
This story is from the September 2023 edition of The Gardener.
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This story is from the September 2023 edition of The Gardener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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