White Swan coneflower
Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan'. Family Asteraceae. Perennial.
Also called Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan', White purple coneflower.
White Swan is a clump-forming perennial with white, slightly drooping petals surrounding raised orange-brown cones. Gardeners grow it for its long summer flowering, sturdy border presence and value to pollinating insects; the stems die back in winter.
At a glance
- Sun
- Full sun is best; tolerates light partial shade, but may flower less and lean towards the light.
- Water
- Water regularly while establishing. Established clumps tolerate short dry spells; water deeply during prolonged drought, especially while flowering.
- Soil
- Well-drained loam, sandy loam or improved clay. Tolerates a broad pH range, but dislikes waterlogged soil, especially in winter.
- Height
- 2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)
- Spread
- 1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)
- Flowers
- Summer into early autumn; white ray petals around a prominent orange-brown central cone.
- Foliage
- Rough, mid- to dark-green, oval to lance-shaped leaves, with larger leaves near the base.
- Growth
- Moderate; usually forms a substantial flowering clump within two to three growing seasons.
- Care needed
- Low
The year at a glance
- Pollinators
- Drought tolerant
- Cold hardy
- Heat tolerant
- Wildlife
- Low allergen
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Fruit | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Toughness
- Very tough
Will it suit your garden?
Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.
Full sun is 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, part shade 3 to 6 hours, shade under 3.
How it grows
Planting day
1 ft (0.3 m)
After 1 year
1.5 ft (0.45 m)
After 2 years
2 ft (0.6 m)
After 3 years
2.5 ft (0.75 m)
full size
About 3 years to full size.
From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.
Good to know
- Cats and dogs
- Safe
- Native to
- the US
- Growth rate
- Moderate
Care
Jobs through the year
- WaterApr–May, Sep, every 14 days
- Water established clumps only if dry; new plants need water whenever the upper soil dries.
- WaterJun–Aug, every 10 days
- During prolonged dry spells, water established plants deeply, especially while flowering.
- MulchApr
- Apply a thin compost dressing around clumps, keeping the crown clear; avoid heavy feeding.
- DeadheadJun–Aug, every 7 days
- Cut spent flowers above a healthy leaf; leave later seedheads for birds.
- PruneFeb–Mar
- Cut retained dead stems close to ground level before new growth starts.
- DivideMar–Apr
- Divide crowded or declining clumps only as needed, usually every three to four years.
- ProtectMar–May, every 7 days
- Check emerging shoots for slugs and hand-pick or use locally approved controls.
- Water new plants deeply whenever the upper soil dries during their first growing season.
- Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; avoid heavy feeding, which encourages floppy growth.
- Mulch around the clump to conserve moisture, keeping mulch clear of the crown.
- Grow in an open, sunny position to reduce leaning; support stems early if the site is windy.
- Divide crowded or declining clumps in spring, usually every three to four years if needed.
Pruning. Remove spent flowers above a healthy leaf to encourage further bloom, or leave later seedheads for birds and winter structure. Cut dead stems to just above ground level in late winter or early spring before new growth develops.
Through the year
- Late winter
- Cut down old stems if they were retained for winter seedheads.
- Spring
- Plant or divide clumps once the soil is workable; water thoroughly.
- Mid-spring
- Apply a thin compost dressing and check emerging shoots for slug damage.
- Early summer
- Add discreet supports if stems begin leaning in an exposed position.
- Summer
- Deadhead for continued flowering and water deeply during prolonged dry weather.
- Autumn
- Leave selected seedheads standing for birds; remove any diseased stems.
In the garden
- Plant in repeated groups through sunny perennial borders for a steady rhythm of white flowers.
- Combine with ornamental grasses and blue-flowered perennials for a loose, prairie-style planting.
- Use in white gardens, where the warm central cones prevent the planting from looking flat.
- Place near paths or seating in a pollinator garden so visiting bees and butterflies are easy to watch.
Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, White garden, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden, Midwest prairie and Low-maintenance.
Plant it with: Russian sage, Catmint, Meadow sage, Prairie dropseed, Blazing star and Black-eyed Susan.
Wildlife: The open flower heads provide nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies. Retained seedheads feed seed-eating birds, including goldfinches in North America.
Problems to watch for
- Slugs and snails can eat emerging shoots: inspect young growth regularly and use barriers, hand-picking or locally approved iron phosphate bait.
- Crown and root rot can kill plants in wet soil: improve drainage and keep the crown out of standing water and heavy mulch.
- Powdery mildew may coat leaves in crowded or stressed plantings: allow airflow, water the soil during drought and remove badly affected foliage.
- Aster yellows can cause green, distorted flowers and stunted growth, particularly in North America: remove and discard the whole affected plant; there is no cure.
Safety
Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people; no part is generally recognised as poisonous. Eating plant material may cause mild stomach upset, and sensitive people can develop allergic reactions, particularly if allergic to other daisy-family plants.
Easily confused with
Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum)
Shasta daisies have a relatively flat yellow central disc and usually flatter white petals; White Swan has a strongly raised, prickly orange-brown cone.
The name
Echinacea comes from the Greek echinos, meaning hedgehog, referring to the prickly central cone; 'White Swan' describes the cultivar's white flowers.
Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring to retain their characteristics. Seed is also available under the cultivar name, but seedlings can vary; seed collected from garden plants may not reproduce the parent's white flowers reliably.
Checked against open data
- Accepted botanical name
- Echinacea purpurea
- In the US and Canada
- Native in the lower 48 states. Introduced in Canada.
- Native range
- Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Michigan.
- Measured
- Soil pH 6.5 to 7.2. Average height 70 cm.
Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.
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