Echinacea Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Echinacea

Echinacea purpurea 'Maxima'
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Subfamily:	Asteroideae
Supertribe:	Helianthodae
Tribe:	Heliantheae
Genus:	*Echinacea* Moench, 1794
Synonyms
Brauneria Necker ex T.C.Porter & Britton Helichroa Raf.

Echinacea is a group of flowering plants that are part of the daisy family. There are ten different types, and they are often called coneflowers. You can find them only in eastern and central North America. They grow in places like moist or dry prairies and open wooded areas. These plants have big, colorful flowers that bloom in the summer. The name Echinacea comes from a Greek word meaning "sea urchin". This is because the center of the flower looks spiky, like a sea urchin. These plants and their parts are used in different ways. Some types are grown in gardens because their flowers are so pretty. Echinacea purpurea is also used in traditional medicine. Sadly, two types, E. tennesseensis and E. laevigata, are currently listed as endangered species in the United States.

What Echinacea Looks Like
Types of Echinacea
Research on Echinacea
- Echinacea and the Common Cold
- Echinacea and COVID-19
Other Uses for Echinacea
History of Echinacea Use
Images for kids
See also

What Echinacea Looks Like

Echinacea plants are perennial (meaning they grow back every year) and can handle dry weather. They can grow up to 140 centimeters (about 4 feet) tall. Most Echinacea plants grow from a main root called a taproot. However, Echinacea purpurea grows from a short, thick stem with many small roots.

Their stems usually grow straight up and don't have branches. The leaves grow in an alternating pattern along the stem. Both the leaves at the bottom of the plant and those on the stem are often hairy and feel rough. The lower leaves have small stems called petioles, which get shorter as you go up the main stem. The leaves can be shaped differently, from long and narrow to oval or heart-shaped.

The flowers of Echinacea grow in single, round heads at the end of long stalks. These flower heads are usually 12–40 millimeters wide. Underneath the flower head are small leaf-like parts called bracts. Inside the flower head, there are many tiny parts called paleae that are orange or reddish-purple.

The colorful "petals" you see are called ray florets. There are usually 8 to 21 of these, and they can be dark purple, light pink, white, or yellow. These ray florets often droop downwards, which makes the whole flower head look like a cone. This is why they are called "coneflowers"! The center of the flower head has many small disc florets, usually 200–300 of them. The pollen is usually yellow, but it's white in E. pallida. After the flowers bloom, they produce small, tan or brown fruits.

The name Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos, which means hedgehog. This refers to the spiky look and feel of the flower heads, especially the center "cone."

Types of Echinacea

Scientists use DNA analysis to figure out how many different types of Echinacea there are. This helps them tell the species apart, even by looking at the chemicals in their roots. Research has shown that there are ten distinct species of Echinacea.

Here are the ten species:

Echinacea angustifolia – Narrow-leaf coneflower
Echinacea atrorubens – Topeka purple coneflower
Echinacea laevigata – Smooth coneflower
Echinacea pallida – Pale purple coneflower
Echinacea paradoxa – Yellow coneflower
Echinacea purpurea – Purple coneflower
Echinacea sanguinea – Sanguine purple coneflower
Echinacea serotina – Narrow-leaved purple coneflower
Echinacea simulata – Wavyleaf purple coneflower
Echinacea tennesseensis – Tennessee coneflower

Research on Echinacea

Many different Echinacea products are sold, and they can be very different from each other. They might use different species (like E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, or E. pallida), different parts of the plant (roots or flowers), or different ways of preparing them (like extracts or juices). This makes it hard to know exactly how they might work.

There haven't been many high-quality clinical trials (scientific studies on people) about Echinacea. Even though some scientific reviews have looked at its possible effects on the immune system, the different products used in studies make it hard to draw clear conclusions. Because of this, official groups like the United States Food and Drug Administration have not approved Echinacea as safe or effective for any health or medical uses.

Echinacea and the Common Cold

Some studies have looked at whether Echinacea can help with the common cold. A review in 2014 found that Echinacea products were not effective for treating or preventing colds. However, a different study in 2016 suggested that some Echinacea extracts might slightly reduce the chance of getting repeated respiratory infections. The European Medicines Agency stated in 2015 that drinking Echinacea juice might help prevent or lessen cold symptoms when they first start. Still, as of 2017, any benefit seems to be small.

Echinacea and COVID-19

Some lab studies (called in-vitro studies) have shown that Echinacea extracts might fight against coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). But these studies were done in cell cultures, not in people. We don't know if these effects happen in humans. Because of this, health organizations have not recommended using Echinacea to prevent or treat COVID-19.

Other Uses for Echinacea

Many types of Echinacea, especially E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida, are grown in gardens as ornamental plants because they are so beautiful. There are many different kinds of these plants, and they are often grown from cuttings to make sure they stay true to their type.

Scientists have also found that Echinacea extracts can stop the growth of certain tiny parasites, like those that cause diseases such as leishmaniasis and sleeping sickness.

History of Echinacea Use

Echinacea angustifolia was widely used by North American indigenous peoples as folk medicine for a long time. It is said that its modern use for the common cold started when a Swiss herbal supplement maker learned that Native American tribes in South Dakota used Echinacea to prevent colds.

Some Plains tribes did use Echinacea for cold symptoms. For example, the Kiowa used it for coughs and sore throats, the Cheyenne for sore throats, and the Pawnee for headaches. Many tribes, including the Lakota, also used it as a pain medication.

Images for kids

The spiky center of the flower head, which is where the name Echinacea comes from.
A bee visiting an Echinacea paradoxa flower.
A bee pollinating an Echinacea purpurea flower.
An unusual growth pattern called Fasciation on an Echinacea purpurea plant.