Bush's Coneflower Seeds – Rare Yellow Echinacea Native to the Midwest (Echinacea paradoxa) – Long-Blooming Pollinator Plant

Minimum: 25+ Seeds

The Rare Yellow Echinacea You’ve Been Searching For

If you’ve ever dreamed of growing a pollinator magnet that turns heads and sparks conversation, Bush’s Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa) delivers. This striking prairie native stands out from every other echinacea with its bright golden petals and deep cone center, a true gem for gardeners, herbalists, and native plant collectors. Whether you’re restoring habitat, attracting bees and butterflies, or simply adding something rare and radiant to your landscape, this long-blooming perennial is unforgettable.

Golden Blooms That Break All the Rules

Most folks think of echinacea as purple, and that’s exactly why Bush’s Coneflower stops people in their tracks. I’ve grown it in full sun near the edge of my vegetable beds, and it quickly became a favorite. Its sunny yellow petals curve gracefully downward from a bronze cone, standing 2–3 feet tall on sturdy stems that sway in the breeze. Blooming from late spring through midsummer, it brings a rich, golden warmth to any garden palette, and keeps on blooming when others fade.

• Height: 24–36 inches

• Spread: 12–18 inches

• Bloom Time: Late spring through mid-summer

• Zones: 4–8

• Sun: Full sun

• Soil: Well-drained, even rocky or sandy

More Than Just a Pretty Face

Bush’s Coneflower is more than ornamental, it’s a hardworking native with high ecological value. Pollinators can’t resist it. I’ve watched bumblebees and swallowtail butterflies crowd the blooms every morning. Its deep roots also make it drought-tolerant and soil-stabilizing, ideal for prairies, meadows, and low-maintenance xeriscapes.

• Pollinator-Friendly: Loved by native bees, butterflies, and hoverflies

• Medicinal Potential: A member of the echinacea family, long admired in traditional herbal use

• Deer-Resistant: Tough stems and bitter compounds deter grazing

• Great for Naturalized Areas: Thrives in prairie plantings, dry slopes, and wildflower mixes

A Rare Heirloom with Deep Roots

Native to the Ozark and prairie regions of the Midwest, Bush’s Coneflower is the only echinacea species with naturally yellow petals. It’s also endangered in parts of its native range, so growing it is not just a joy, it’s a preservation act. This is a true heirloom species, cherished by native seed collectors and those restoring biodiversity to their gardens.

How to Grow Bush’s Coneflower from Seed

Start seeds in late fall or give them 6–8 weeks of cold stratification in the fridge before spring sowing. These seeds need cold to germinate, mimicking a prairie winter.

• Seed Depth: Barely cover, 1/8" deep

• Spacing: 12–18 inches apart

• Sunlight: Full sun is best

• Watering: Low once established; avoid soggy soils

• Germination Time: 2–4 weeks after stratification

• Transplanting Tip: Handle gently, taproots dislike disturbance

Plant It. Share It. Protect It.

Bush’s Coneflower is more than a conversation piece, it’s a beacon for wildlife, a spark of sunshine in your yard, and a living piece of botanical history. Whether you’re building a pollinator haven or collecting rare wildflower seeds for your zone 6 native garden, this one deserves a place in your soil.

Grow something golden, wild, and rare, before everyone else does.