Echinacea is a perennial herb that grows up to a metre in height, the purple flower is in the form of a high cone. Echinacea is valued as a short-term stimulant to the immune system. Until the late 1930s, Echinacea angustifolia was the only species used in medical practice,

Echinacea pallida is one of the more rare members of the Echinacea family. They have much longer, ray flowers than those of the more familiar purple coneflower, the plants bloom earlier and continue to bloom sporadically through the autumn months.

This classic plant, with its beautiful yellow flowers is a feast for the eyes as well as the belly. The whole plant is edible: the leaves can be cooked as greens, and the nutty-flavoured roots can be boiled and eaten like potatoes, parsnips, or salsify. The flowers make a lovely salad garnish.

The fine clouds of feathery, bronze-purple leaves are wonderful as a centre piece for a sunny herb garden, or among tall perennials and grasses. The foliage acts as a delicate veil through which the flower heads of herbaceous plants and bulbs can be seen.