9 Varieties Of Coneflowers To Grow If You Want To Attract Goldfinches

If you want to create a garden that provides an important food source that attracts songbirds like the beautiful goldfinch, it is important to know what to plant. Birds love to congregate where there is a ready source of food, especially during the colder months. If you add the right flowers, like these 13 plants that will have goldfinches flocking to your yard in no time, you will be well on your way to having a yard full of goldfinches, butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and a variety of other birds. Coneflowers are colorful self-seeding perennials that can help attract goldfinches to your yard almost effortlessly because goldfinches have an affinity for these unique and brightly colored blooms.

The large centers of the blooms are very prominent compared to many other flowers. If the plants are left alone in the fall, those prominent centers go to seed and provide delicious food for goldfinches and other songbirds. Fall and winter can be precarious times for birds due to the scarcity of food, so planting a variety of coneflowers will provide a great seed buffet for them to enjoy. Below, we have listed eight amazing varieties of coneflowers you can plant in your garden for the goldfinches to enjoy. Planting these beautiful coneflowers in masses, along with following these 10 simple tips to keep birds flocking to your yard in the fall, will help you turn your yard into a goldfinch haven.

Yellow coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa) is a beautiful, bright yellow perennial that is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9. It can commonly be found growing naturally in the Ozark regions of Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Yellow coneflowers, also called Ozark coneflowers, thrive in full sun to partial shade and can tolerate a variety of soil and moisture conditions, though they prefer alkaline soil. Yellow coneflowers bloom from early in the summer through fall and provide nectar for butterflies and bees, as well as providing seeds for songbirds like cardinals and goldfinches.

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a popular variety of coneflower that is hardy in growing zones 3 through 8 and is native to North America. This lovely perennial does best in dry, hot regions but doesn't do well in wet and humid areas where the soil tends to stay wet. Purple coneflowers need six to eight hours of full sun each day. The blooming season is from early summer through the first frost. In the fall and winter, the seed heads are a great source of food for birds during a time when food is starting to be scarce.

The 'Secret Passion' coneflower (Echinacea 'Secret Passion') is a hardy perennial that brings a splash of hot pink color to the garden. This unique double-blooming flower is a favorite of bees and butterflies and is deer-resistant. Hardy in zones 4 through 9, this brightly colored coneflower does best in full sun with dry to medium moisture soil that drains well. 'Secret Passion' coneflowers are tolerant of heat, humidity, and drought once they are established. This flower is a great choice for meadows, cottage gardens, wildflower gardens, and borders, where the seeds of spent flowers will attract goldfinches.

Intense Orange (Echinacea 'Intense Orange') is a brightly colored perennial native to the central and southeastern U.S. It is hardy in zones 4 through 9 and grows to be anywhere from 18 to 24 inches tall. This colorful coneflower is named for its vibrant hue and features abundant blooms in multiple shades of orange, from peach to pumpkin. 'Intense Orange' does best in full sun with dry to medium moisture soil. It is a favorite of butterflies and bees, with seed heads that are a great source of food for birds in the fall and winter.

Another coneflower native to the southeast and central United States is 'Butterfly Kisses' (Echinacea purpurea 'Butterfly Kisses').This lovely double-flower variety features various shades of soft pink with a darker pink center that looks like a powder puff. 'Butterfly Kisses' is hardy in zones 3 through 8 and blooms in June, July, and August.'Butterfly Kisses' thrives in full sun to partial shade in soil that is dry to medium moist. This is a nice choice if you also want to attract hummingbirds and butterflies in addition to feeding a variety of songbirds in the fall and winter with its seeds.

If you're looking to add something different to your garden, say hello to 'Green Jewel' (Echinacea purpurea 'Green Jewel'). 'Green Jewel' is hardy in zones 3 through 8 and thrives in full sun to partial shade. This pretty coneflower is a favorite of birds and butterflies and features fragrant, showy blooms with pale green petals and a dark green center. 'Green Jewel' would be an excellent choice for anyone who wants to have the green-drenching garden style. This coneflower blooms from the later part of spring into late summer and will sometimes bloom up until frost. 

If you love double-petaled flowers, 'Double Scoop Cranberry' (Echinacea x purpurea 'Balscanery') fits the bill perfectly. This lovely, brightly colored perennial is hardy in zones 4 through 7 and is perfect for borders, container planting, rock gardens, or anywhere you want a splash of color. 'Double Scoop Cranberry' coneflowers thrive in full sunlight and can handle a variety of soil types and moisture levels.  This particular cultivar may not be as popular among pollinators and birds as its single-flower counterparts. To encourage more feathered visitors, don't prune spent flowers. Instead, let them turn to seed to feed goldfinches.

Add some sunshine to your garden with the bright yellow 'Daydream' (Echinacea 'Daydream') coneflower. This sunny flower is hardy in zones 4 through 9 and is native to the southeast and central parts of the U.S. 'Daydream' blooms earlier than many other varieties, starting in late spring and continuing for up to five months, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the beauty it will bring to the garden. 'Daydream' thrives in full sunlight daily and adapts to most soil types as long as the soil drains well and stays on the drier side. 

Hardy in zones 3 through 8, the 'Sombrero Salsa Red' coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Balsomsed' Sombrero Series) adds incredible color and a valuable food source for birds, butterflies, and bees to your garden. This flashy coneflower features orange-red rays with a russet brown center that is about 3 inches in diameter. 'Sombrero Salsa Red' thrives in full sun — at least 6 hours each day – but can handle partial shade if necessary. It can tolerate a variety of soil conditions and types, including clay, dry, and even soil that is rocky and shallow.