Echinacea is a genus, or group of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family. The genus Echinacea has ten species, which are commonly called coneflowers. They are found in eastern, central and Western North American gardens. They also may be found growing in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas. They have large, showy heads of composite flowers, blooming the entire summer. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἐχῖνος (ekhinos), meaning "sea urchin", due to the spiny central disk.
