Should You Cut Back Coneflowers In The Fall?

A mass of coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) adds a pop of color to a sunny garden from summer and well into fall. With stems that can grow from 18 inches to 4 feet tall, these flowers mix well with other native wildflowers, like black-eyed Susans and goldenrod, as well as other sun-lovers like lavender and salvia. When they naturally begin to fade in fall, pruning may seem like the obvious next step. But should you cut back coneflowers in the fall? You may want to consider waiting until spring. Not only is cutting them back in the fall unnecessary, it robs wildlife of a valuable and tasty food source.

Some gardeners prefer the clean look of their garden without the faded stems and bare seed heads, and there are times when fall pruning is necessary, such as keeping pests from returning. Whether or not to cut back coneflowers is ultimately based on preference, but there are some advantages to delaying the process. Learn when and how to cut back these perennial blooms so you and garden visitors can enjoy them long past their prime.

Why Spring Is The Best Time To Cut Back Coneflowers

Waiting until late winter or early spring to cut back healthy coneflowers is best because the seeds provide food for birds and other wildlife, the hollow stems serve as nesting spots for pollinators like small carpenter and other solitary bees, and the foliage houses beneficial insects and insulates the roots over winter.

You’ll need to protect coneflowers over the winter by adding 2 to 3 inches of mulch to insulate the soil and prevent weeds, and watering up until the ground freezes if your area is in a dry spell. These steps will help ensure healthier plants next season.

How To Cut Back Coneflowers

Cut back coneflowers in late winter or early spring before any new leaves emerge. Use clean, sharp hand pruners to cut back stems and foliage to 2 to 3 inches above the ground. Make sure not to cut off any new growth that has already appeared. Any new growth will quickly cover the cut stalks.

Other Times To Prune Coneflowers

Coneflowers benefit from some cutting during the year. In spring and summer, deadheading spent blooms will encourage another wave of flowers and redirect energy into their production. Cut the stem just above a node or near the base of the plant.

You can also cut coneflowers for bouquets and vases anytime during the blooming season. This also encourages more blooms, so you not only have beautiful flowers for indoor spots, but you also boost the plant’s health. Choose blooms that are partially open. Snip the stems at a 45-degree angle, and strip any lower leaves. Display them in a vase filled with water. When these fade, grab the pruners and gather more from the garden.

When You Should Cut Back Coneflowers In Fall

While leaving the seeds for winter wildlife is ideal, there are a couple of reasons you should cut coneflowers back in the fall. If your coneflowers show signs of disease or an infestation, you should definitely cut them back in the fall to prevent diseases from surviving the winter and spreading or pests from returning next season. Cut the plants back to 2 to 3 inches above the ground and remove any affected parts. This also improves air circulation, which keeps fungal diseases like powdery mildew away.

You should also consider cutting coneflowers back in the fall if you already have a large patch and want to control their spread since these are self-seeding flowers. Removing the seed heads in the fall once they go dormant can decrease the amount of seeds that disperse.