Will Coneflowers Survive A Harsh Frost? Here's What You Should Know

Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) are a staple perennial across the country. With their tall, cheery blooms that are highly attractive to butterflies, these native flowers bring color, warmth, and biodiversity into your yard and are perfect for chaos gardens. But it is always worrying when the winter months take hold. It is horrible to see our favorite flowers die from frost, especially when we are looking forward to seeing them brightening up our lives come spring. 

Thankfully, coneflowers can often survive a harsh frost. They know how to look after themselves, so they die back and go dormant in the winter to survive. Winter hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9, they will usually get through the colder months when growing outside in these zones. However, coneflower seedlings and less established plants may find it harder to survive a harsh frost. Furthermore, coneflowers that are growing in containers are more at risk of winter harm. A general rule of thumb is to go two zones colder for guidance when it comes to perennials in containers. So, coneflowers grown in containers in zones less than five are at risk. 

Although most varieties of coneflower are winter hardy, it is always a good idea to prepare them for the colder months. If you see any dead or diseased parts of the plant, carefully remove them. Once that is done, give your coneflowers a good watering, as this can help keep the soil and roots warmer than the cold winter air. You should mulch the soil to help the roots stay protected. Coneflowers die over winter when their roots are killed by the cold, so it's important to do what you can to avoid this. Use leaves or straw and apply a layer 3 to 4 inches thick to the soil around your coneflowers. 

If your coneflowers are in containers, look at ways you can provide the pots with insulation to protect your plants from frost. A great technique is to dig a hole in the soil and place the container in it before covering it with mulch or soil. However, many of us won't have the space to do this. Instead of burying your potted coneflowers, you may wish to wrap them with burlap or bubble wrap.