Coneflowers are plants that are a favorite among most gardeners. They not only add color and beauty to your garden but has a lot of medicinal benefits. It helps build a strong immune system, treats fever, and removes chest congestion, to name just a few.
The flowering plant belongs to the daisy family. Their flowers come in various colors like yellow, orange, pink, and white, making them great ornamental plants. Coneflowers are native to North America.
In this article, we’ll take a look at Coneflower’s eight best companion plants and their growth requirements. We will also mention the pests and diseases that must be avoided to help increase their longevity.
Let’s jump right in!
Why Does Coneflower Need Companion Plants?
To understand why Coneflower needs companion planting, let’s first understand what companion plants are.
Companion planting is an ancient Chinese practice of growing plants together to help in each other’s growth and to protect from pests. They do so by helping boost soil nutrients, attracting beneficial pollinators, repelling pests, keeping weeds out, preventing soil erosion, and providing ground cover.
As with any other plant, Coneflower also needs companion plants to support its growth and contribute to the overall health and sustainability of the garden.
8 Best Coneflower Companion Plants
When selecting a companion plant for Coneflower plants, we must consider factors such as sun exposure, soil conditions, and growth habits.
The best companion plants would be ones that share similar growing conditions.
Read on to learn the eight best companion plants of Coneflower.
1. Lavender
Lavenders can be a great companion to Coneflowers as they have similar water and soil requirements. Both of them require well-drained soil to thrive and grow.
Coneflower’s flower attracts pollinators such as butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, hoverflies, and parasitoid wasps, whereas Lavenders attract bumblebees and honey bees. Pairing them together benefits the development of seed germination and fertilization.
2. Yarrow
Both Yarrow and Coneflower attract insects which can help pollinate their flowers.
Both are easy-to-care-for perennials with equal soil and water needs, making them a great pair.
Further, Yarrow helps improve the topsoil, which helps Coneflower with the essential minerals and nutrients it needs.
3. Catmint
Catmints drive away pests, namely aphids. As Catmints are pest-repellent plants, planting Coneflowers alongside will protect the plant from aphids.
Both Catmints and Coneflower conserve moisture in the soil, making them good companion plants.
Both plants have similar sun requirements. They thrive both under full sun and half-shade.
4. Canadian Goldenrod
The deep roots of the Canadian goldenrod help improve soil structure, retain moisture, and enhance overall soil health, benefiting the growth of coneflowers.
Coneflowers typically bloom from mid to late summer, while Canadian goldenrod blooms in late summer to early fall. When planted together, you can extend the blooming period of your garden and enjoy vibrant flowers for a more extended period of time.
Canadian Goldenrod attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs that keep away aphids from Coneflowers.
5. Sedums
Sedums are generally resilient, adaptable, and can tolerate poor soil conditions. Sedums help suppress weed growth and reduce soil erosion when used as ground covers around coneflowers.
Both sedums and coneflowers attract beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. When Sedums are planted alongside coneflowers, they can provide additional nectar sources, which will help attract diverse pollinators.
6. Beeblossom
Beeblossom and coneflowers have overlapping blooming periods. So, if planted together, you will have a continuous display of flowers throughout the summer and into early fall in your garden.
Beeblossom, together with Coneflowers, attracts beneficial insects; besides promoting each other’s growth, it even helps other garden plants thrive better.
Beeblossom can adapt to various soil types, from sandy to well-drained soils. Its deep roots help improve soil structure and increase water infiltration. So if planted alongside coneflowers, it will reduce the risk of waterlogging and promote healthier root growth.
Have them in the backyard, as they are low-maintenance perennial plants that look pleasing to the eye.
7. Bee Balm
Both Bee Balm and Coneflower thrive in well-drained soil and tolerate various soil types. So you can ensure optimal growth and health by providing them with similar soil conditions.
They have contrasting colors. Bee balm complements the vibrant petals of coneflowers with shades of red, pink, or purple.
Bee Balm attracts pollinators such as butterflies and bees, which can help promote coneflower growth.
8. Blue Phlox
Blue Phlox attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The nectar-rich flowers of both plants serve as valuable food sources for pollinators, supporting their populations and promoting effective pollination.
Together Coneflowers and Blue Phlox require similar growing conditions, making them compatible.
Both can thrive under partial shade. You can therefore plant them in areas with less sunlight or under the shade of trees.
4 Worst Companion Plants For Coneflower
Coneflowers can thrive with many plants. However, there are some plants that, when grown with Coneflower, may compete with each other.
Here are the four worst companion plants that don’t work well alongside Coneflower.
1. Hazelnut
Hazlenut, when planted alongside Coneflower, would compete with the latter for water, nutrients, and space. The dense root network of hazelnuts can deprive coneflowers of essential resources, leading to stunted growth and reduced vitality.
Some hazelnut species, such as the European hazel, produce chemical compounds known as allelochemicals. These compounds can inhibit the growth and development of coneflower.
Hazelnuts are large trees that can shade other plants when grown nearby. As a result, it will limit the access to sufficient sunlight for coneflower, hindering its growth and flowering potential.
2. Okra
Okra roots-knot are prone to plant parasites known as nematodes. These nematodes can transmit viruses to other plants nearby. So it’s best to avoid planting okra with coneflower.
Okra are tall herbaceous plants. It can grow to a height of 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 meters) or more. It will overshadow and outcompete the shorter coneflowers, thus depriving the latter of sunlight and reducing their ability to photosynthesize effectively.
3. Morning Glory
Morning Glory is a fast-growing plant that can spread quickly and twine around other plants, including coneflowers. Its aggressive growth behavior can hinder the coneflower’s growth and limit its access to sunlight, water, and nutrients.
Pests such as cotton aphids, leaf miners, and leafcutter feed on Morning Glory. Avoid planting them with Coneflowers as they may cause the spread of pests.
4. Walnut
Walnut trees produce a chemical compound called juglone. Coneflowers are sensitive to the chemical. Exposure to this compound can negatively impact their health, causing wilting, yellowing, stunted growth, or even death.
Walnut trees have a deep and extensive root system that allows them to absorb significant nutrients from the soil. When planted alongside coneflowers, it will deprive it of essential nutrients, important for growth and overall health.
Walnuts attract harmful insects and diseases, causing severe problems when planted next to plants such as coneflower.
What Are Coneflower’s Growing Requirements?
Every gardener needs to understand the growing requirements when planting certain plants in the garden; let’s look at the coneflower plant’s growing requirements:
1. Sun
Coneflowers thrive in full sun, which means they require at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. So it’s advisable to plant them where they will receive ample sunlight to promote healthy growth and abundant flowering. However, they can tolerate partial shade in hot climates or during the hottest part of the day.
2. Soil
Coneflowers prefer well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH range of 6.0 to 7.0. They are adaptable and can grow in various soil types, including sandy, loamy, and clay.
3. Water
While coneflowers are somewhat drought-tolerant once fully grown, they can benefit from regular watering, especially during dry periods. It’s important, however, to avoid overwatering, as excessive moisture can lead to root rot and other issues.
4. Fertilizer
Coneflowers aren’t heavy feeders and can thrive in soil without excessive fertilization. However, incorporating organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure into the soil before planting can provide beneficial nutrients.
5. Temperature
Coneflowers are hardy perennials that can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. They can tolerate both hot summers and cold winters, but in extremely hot climates, they may benefit from partial shade or afternoon shade.
6. Pruning
Pruning involves removing the damaged parts of plants. The trimming of Coneflower can be done by removing dead leaves and dead foliage to encourage plant growth.
Grass Diseases And Pests
Coneflowers are perennial garden shrubs, but pests and diseases can take hold if not adequately cared for.
It is worth noting that over-watering and excessive humidity and moisture can result in root rots.
Understanding the basic requirements to deal with diseases and preventing them is essential to keep coneflowers healthy.
Here are some of the diseases and pests that mainly occur with coneflowers.
Diseases
- Aster Yellow
- Powdery Mildew
- Bacterial Spots
Pests
- Leafhoppers
- Leaf Miners
- Gray Mold
- Vine Weevils
- Japanese beetles
- Nematodes
- Aphids
Remedies to Protect Coneflower from Diseases And Pests
Coneflower plants are susceptible to pests and are prone to diseases. Here are the steps required to limit the spreading of diseases and pests in coneflowers.
- Proper air circulation is required to avoid fungal growth.
- Use antifungal sprays if you find any spots in the leaves.
- It is better to uproot the plants in case of nematode attacks.
- Applying herbal treatments such as neem oil can help treat garden pests.
Conclusion
To sum up, the article discusses Coneflower’s eight best companion plants with their growing requirements. These companion plants will help in healthy growth and result in beautiful landscaping.
But, to truly enjoy a healthy garden, you must know which plants to avoid pairing with these perennial flowering plants.
Enjoy planting!