The best one's that I've grown from seed are 'Magnus'. Well the seed came from 'Magnus' and the seedlings look like 'Magnus' but they could've been mixed.

They do ok with winter sowing - the cold really gets them started - but I did have some 'White Swan' seedlings that stayed very tiny for years before they finally took off. I remember bringing some to one of the plant swaps and the shock on peoples faces when I told them that those tiny two inch "seedlings" were really 2 years old.

There is a long list of problems associated with this group of plants. The worst part that rarely gets mentioned is that many of the new fancy colored types bloom and look great their first year in the garden but they fail to make more growth at the base to become next years clump. Its like they bloom themselves to death. These guys can also suffer from a disease called Asters Yellow which will eventually kill the plant. The fancy mop top and double decker blooming ones are not very attractive to butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

In general they are easy to grow - they like normal garden soil and regular watering. They bloom better in full sun but will do ok in half day sun. The true species forms seem to do better in weak gravel-ey soil with less water.

Also, look for 'Prairie Splendor' seeds and the echinacea pallida native.

I'm growing Pow-Wow Wild Berry this year and they are supposed to be true from seeds (I'm still waiting on blooms).

Some echinacea may take two years before you get blooms, so you must be patient when growing from seeds.

I have good luck by sowing seeds directly in the garden -- in the fall in a moist, not wet, place.

I direct sowed many echinacea purpurea (native) this spring and had great success with many seedlings that should bloom next year.

Be aware that birds, especially Goldfinch, may be scratching up your seeds in the garden, so sow enough for yourself and for them! :-)

I rarely start seeds in containers. I like to direct sow out in the garden.

Cameron

My experience with growing Echinacea from seed is that they benefit from stratification. I generally sow mine in a pan, refrigerate (not freeze) them for about six weeks or less, and then remove the pan from the refrigerator. They germinate very well after that. I have grown at least seven or eight varieties this way (E. pallida, E. paradoxa, E. atrorubens, E. purpurea, E. purpurea 'White Swan, 'Magnus,' E. angustifolia, etc.) and they have done well. I haven't tried to grow any of the hybrids from seed because they generally do not come true. Also, for me, they have not lived very long in my garden. If I were you, I think I would buy a hybrid or two that you like and enjoy them now. You can save the seeds and try them out as time allows. That way you won't have to wait so long to get the blooms you want. Have blooms now; experiment later.