Echinacea has become one of the most well-known herbs in American folk herbalism. A perennial member of the sunflower family, Echinacea angustifolia is one of nine species of echinacea native to North America. This specific variety has angular, narrow, hairy leaves and grows approximately one foot tall. Our organically cultivated echinacea root can be steeped as echinacea tea, tinctured, and infused into topical oils.
Echinacea was used extensively by traditional herbalists and Indigenous peoples in North America for generations. One of its main uses is to support healthy immune function, although many of its historical uses were related to topical applications. It is now one of the most available dietary supplements in health food stores and continues to be a subject of many scientific studies investigating its immune support properties.
Nine species of Echinacea are native to the United States and southern Canada, with much of the population centered in Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. These species are perennial members of the sunflower, or Asteraceae, family and mostly prefer rocky, disturbed soils in open fields, prairies, and along railroad tracks. The material found in commerce is generally E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and occasionally E. pallida. E. purpurea is big bushy shrub, growing 4-5 feet tall, with vivid purple coneflowers (hence the common name 'purple coneflower'). The leaves are wider than E. angustifolia, which has more angular and hairy leaves (the specific name refers to this, literally meaning 'narrow-leaved), and grows to only around one foot in height. Often E. pallida and E. angustifolia are confused as they both have light pink petals and are used in a similar manner.
The genus name Echinacea is derived from the Greek 'echinos' which literally means hedgehog and refers to the appearance of the spiny seed head. The dried root can be decocted as tea, added to herbal formulations, or used in tincturing.
