Purple coneflower, also known as echinacea, is a beautiful perennial. It is native to much of the eastern U.S. and attracts beneficial pollinators. It is also an edible plant. Knowing how to harvest echinacea for tea, tinctures, seeds, and more, gives you many more uses for your pretty coneflowers. Why Harvest Echinacea? This native plant has long been used in herbal remedies. Native Americans used it to treat bites, stings, and burns. Modern research has determined that echinacea is useful in many medical preparations because it boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, and shows antibacterial properties. Every part of the plant is edible. You can dry the flowers, leaves, and roots to create teas, tinctures using alcohol to extract the healing compounds, and decoctions to extract substances from the roots using boiling water. When to Harvest Echinacea Harvest echinacea flowers while they are in full bloom. When harvesting echinacea seeds, […]
The post How To Harvest Echinacea Flowers, Seeds And Roots appeared first on Gardening Know How.
