Echinacea: Herbal Immune System Booster

• Main Echinacea Species

Echinacea is one of the most commonly used herbal remedies in America, and has a long history in Native American medicine. There are 9 distinct species of echinacea in the Aster plant family. All are hardy perennials and are commonly used in cultivated gardens because of their distinctive flowers with large, cone-like centers.^(1-4)

The three species most investigated for medicinal purposes are:^(1-4)

• Echinacea angustifolia
• Echinacea pallida
• Echinacea purpurea

Echinacea purpurea is the most frequently used species. It's also believed to be the most potent.^(1, 2)

Types of Echinacea

Echinacea can be grown in gardens, and teas, tinctures, and poultices are easy to make at home. There are slight differences between the 3 main species of echinacea used for herbal medicine:^(3-7)

Table 1: Types of Echinacea

Scientific & Common Name	Photo & Description
Echinacea purpurea Eastern purple coneflower; Brauneria purpurea, Echinacea purpurea var. arkansana, Rudbeckia purpurea	Single or branched smooth stems topped with single lavender-colored flower. 2-5 feet tall. Leaves are larger at the stem base. Blooms spring through autumn.
Echinacea pallida Pale coneflower; Brauneria pallida, Rudbeckia pallida	Pale pink (almost white) to purple 3-5" flower. Single, greyish green hairy stem, 2-4 feet tall. Narrow, finely-haired base leaves. Blooms May-July.
Echinacea angustifolia Black samson, Kansas snakeroot, black root, snake root, egigeshishibita	Daisy-like pink to light purple coneflower. Coarse haired 18-24" stems. Blooms May-July.

Echinacea has been used as herbal medicine (especially to boost the immune system) for centuries, but there are safety concerns for some people.^(8, 9)