Coneflower of Courage: The Medicine and Meaning of Echinacea

Taxonomy/Botanical Classification:

Common Name: Coneflower

Family: Asteraceae

Life Cycle: Perennial

True Grit Archetype: The Protector

Harvest Season: Midsummer through early fall

Coneflower as a symbol of resilience

Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia, E. pallida) stands tall and unbothered, with its raised copper cone and purple drooping petals that nod like elders who’ve seen it all. She’s part of the daisy family, but don’t mistake her beauty for softness; she is built for work. Native to North America, this prairie queen thrives in drought, bounces back from poor soil, and attracts every pollinator in a 10-mile radius. We plant her in the middle of our most sunny garden beds where the sun can reach her crown, and the bees can find her medicine. Each bloom holds the promise of resilience, thriving where others wilt.

Echinacea is one of the most widely known medicinal plants in Western herbalism—yet she is more than the tincture bottle on a health food shelf. Used for centuries by Indigenous peoples—especially the Great Plains tribes—for wound healing, snakebite, sore throat, and infection, she was revered as a blood purifier and protector.

Her roots and flowers are immune supporters, rich in alkylamides that bring that characteristic tingle to the tongue. We use her carefully, with reverence for her wild lineage and the land she springs from.

We harvest her early in the day when the cones are full and the petals are open like offering hands. The stalks are strong but not stiff, the scent earthy and green. She holds up beautifully in arrangements—whether as a fresh cut flower or dried for future medicine.

We companion plant Echinacea with yarrow and lemon balm to encourage beneficial insect activity and strengthen the energetic field of the garden. Every year she comes back stronger.

Echinacea is the energy of sovereignty. Her medicine is one of boundaries and vitality—protection not through walls, but through self-trust. She reminds us that immunity is not just a physical function, but a spiritual practice.

To sit with Echinacea is to sit with the quiet knowledge that we are already equipped. That our bodies—and our spirits—know how to defend what matters.

Botanical illustrations of echinacea by Kelly Johnson

ILLUSTRATED BY KELLY JOHNSON OF WINGS, WORMS & WONDER

The featured illustration for this monograph was created by our longtime plant friend and botanical artist, Kelly Johnson of Wings, Worms & Wonder. Kelly and True Grit have shared many inspired conversations about the natural world over the years—each one rich with wonder, reciprocity, and a deep respect for Earth’s rhythms.

Her artwork brings Echinacea to life in full expression—radiant, wild, and alive with meaning. You’ll find this piece on our apothecary labels alongside other floral renditions she’s created for our farm.

Explore more of her heartful art at @wingswormsandwonder

Key Chemical Constituents & Actions

Echinacea is rich in compounds that speak the language of resilience. These chemical allies make Echinacea a powerful friend when the body’s boundaries are under stress. Alkamides, polysaccharides, flavonoids, essential oils, and glycoproteins combined make Echinacea a powerful friend when the body’s boundaries are under stress.

Herbal Actions:

• Lymphatic stimulant – Promotes drainage and movement in the lymph

• Immunomodulant – Balances immune system response

• Alterative – Encourages deep detoxification and blood cleansing

• Anti-inflammatory – Reduces heat and swelling

• Antimicrobial – Supports the body’s defenses against infection

• Vulnerary – Helps repair damaged or wounded tissue

Tissue States & Energetics:

• Cooling and slightly drying.

• Best suited for hot, inflamed, stagnant tissues

  Echinacea cools and clarifies. She moves what’s stuck, soothes what’s red,

Traditional Uses & Clinical Indications:

• Swollen lymph nodes

• Early onset cold, flu, or infection

• Sore throat, gum inflammation, and oral abscess

• Bug bites, burns, minor wounds

• Skin eruptions (eczema, boils, infections)

Used both internally and topically, Echinacea is a frontline plant for when the body’s boundaries have been crossed.

Taste & Actions:

• Taste: Tingling, acrid, slightly sweet

• Sensory action: Stimulates salivation and circulatory movement

That signature tingle on the tongue? It means the medicine is working.

Organ/System Affinities:

• Lymphatic system

• Immune System

• Urinary Tract

• Respiratory System

• Skin

• Mouth & Throat

Administration & Preparation:

• Tincture: 1:2 fresh root or whole plant; take 2–4 ml up to 3x/day for acute illness

• Tea (decoction): Simmer dried root for 15–20 min; drink 1–3 cups/day

• Topical wash or spray: Steep strong tea and use for wounds, burns, or skin irritations

• Powdered root: Encapsulated or added to mouth rinses for gum and throat care

Note: Echinacea is most effective when taken frequently at the first signs of imbalance rather than as a long-term tonic.

Sustainability & Ethical Considerations

Conservation Status: Not endangered, but wild E. angustifolia is at risk in some areas

• Best Practices & Sustainable Harvesting:

  • Prioritize cultivated sources (like ours at True Grit) over wild-harvested roots

  • Leave plenty of flowers for pollinators

  • Dig roots after 3+ years of growth and never take more than one-third from a stand

Safety Information:

• Generally well tolerated

• Rare allergic reactions possible in those sensitive to Asteraceae family

• Best used in short to moderate durations, especially during active immune challenge

• Consult a healthcare provider for use alongside immunosuppressive medications

Research Findings:

• Modern studies confirm Echinacea’s role in shortening the duration and severity of colds and respiratory infections

• Active constituents stimulate macrophage activity, boost white blood cell response, and exhibit mild antimicrobial action

• Topical preparations show promise in wound healing and skin regeneration

My Favorite Recipe:

Favorite Farm Preparation: Fresh Echinacea Root Tincture

When the plant is just waking up in spring or going to sleep in fall, we dig a few mature plants, wash and chop the fresh roots, then macerate them in organic cane alcohol. The result is a bold, warming tincture we keep close during cold and flu season. We tend to use Belle Isle Moonshine 100 proof for our home use preparations.

References

1. David Hoffmann, Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine

2. Matthew Wood, The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World and New World Medicinal Plants

3. Herbal Academy, Echinacea Materia Medica & Advanced Herbal Courses

4. Michael Tierra, Planetary Herbology

5. James A. Duke, The Green Pharmacy and USDA Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases

6. Kiva Rose, Medicine Woman's Root Blog

7. Rosalee de la Forêt, Herbal Remedies for Viral Infection and articles on echinacea at HerbalRemediesAdvice.org

8. American Botanical Council, HerbalGram articles on Echinacea

9. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) – National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) on Echinacea

10. PubMed articles detailing Echinacea’s immunomodulatory effects, especially those focused on alkamides and caffeic acid derivatives

11. The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety by Simon Mills & Kerry Bone

Photo taken by Kelly Johnson as reference for botanical illustrations of echinacea

This content is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and it sure doesn’t replace the care, advice, or guidance of a qualified healthcare provider. Got medical concerns? Respectfully — talk to your doctor, herbalist, or trusted health practitioner.

We honor the legacy of plant medicine, and we believe in bridging ancestral wisdom with modern safety. So please — do your own research, listen to your body, and stay grounded in discernment.