How to Harvest Coneflower Seeds for an Explosion of Color Next Summer
Harvesting echinacea seeds takes just a few minutes in late summer and unlocks a steady supply of vibrant, free blooms for years to come
Coneflowers (Echinacea) bring endless summer charm to borders and prairie-style beds, drawing in bees and butterflies with their bold, architectural blooms. But as late summer gives way to crisp fall days and those vibrant petals begin to drop, their work isn’t done.
Instead of cutting back fading flowerheads during your fall tidy-up, you can harvest the seed-packed cones to grow dozens of new plants completely for free. All you need to get started is a pair of sharp micro-snips, such as the Felco pruning snips from Amazon, to cut the ripe stems cleanly and easily.
Gathering seeds is one of fall's most rewarding (and often overlooked) garden tasks, and coneflowers, with their prominent, easy-to-grasp heads, are the absolute best place to start.
How to Harvest Coneflower Seeds By Hand
Each echinacea flower has lots of seeds
To harvest seeds from your coneflowers, you will need to hold back on late-summer deadheading on at least a few strong stems. Leave these remaining wilted flowerheads intact on the plant as fall approaches.
Wait until the petals have died and fallen off and the only part that remains is the spiky center, says Anna Ohler, the Owner of Bright Lane Gardens nursery. Once the heads turn dark brown and crisp, snip them clean off using a sharp pair of bypass pruners, such as Felco Model 2 Pruners, from Walmart.
Next, you need to thoroughly dry the seedheads, says Anna. You can do this using a food dehydrator on low for a few hours, or place them inside a breathable paper bag (which you can find easily from Amazon) stored in a warm room with good air circulation.
'Do not dry the heads out in the sun, as too much sun can damage the seeds,' she adds.
Once fully dried, it is time to extract the small, brown seeds. Before starting, slip on a sturdy pair of thorn-proof gardening gloves, such as these from Amazon to protect your fingers from the sharp, prickly cones.
'The seeds should come off pretty easily once the seedhead is fully dried,' Anna says.
You can gently roll your thumb over the top to loosen the seeds from the core. Alternatively, place the dried seedheads into a lidded container (a glass mason jar or container, just like this one from Target would be ideal) and shake vigorously until the seeds release. Afterward, pick out and discard the dry chaff.
Top Tip: Avoid harvesting seeds from hybrid echinacea cultivars (like 'Cheyenne Spirit' or 'Tomato Soup'). These varieties are often sterile, and any seeds that do grow rarely come back true to the parent plant's color or shape.
Anna is an avid plant hobbyist and the Owner and Operator of Bright Lane Gardens, a boutique plant nursery in Northern Michigan. With over a decade of experience in gardening and landscaping, she takes every opportunity to share her knowledge on all things plant related.
How to Harvest Coneflower Seeds Using a Paper Bag
You can remove the seeds by hand, over a container
Another method for collecting coneflower seeds is to use a paper bag. When you remove the seedhead, leave a bit more of the stem intact.
Then, tie a paper bag around the seedhead, and a bit of string around the base of the stem to hang it upside down. The seeds will fall out naturally over time.
You can then open the bag and separate out any chaff, before sowing or storing the seeds.
How To Store Coneflower Seeds
Sow echinacea seeds in late summer or in the fall
You can sow your coneflower seeds straightaway, directly into the ground.
If you don't want to sow them yet, you can store the coneflower seeds. 'Make sure you store any seeds in a dry, dark place,' says Anna, who puts hers in mini envelopes.
Remember to label them clearly, including the date. The seeds should remain viable for at least a couple of years.
What to Shop
Just one flower can produce lots of new seeds – which means plenty of potential for new plants. So, there's no need to harvest all of them. Instead, you can leave some on the plant where they'll provide a source of food for birds as the weather begins to cool, making your yard more wildlife-friendly.
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