Yes, they're perennials so this year you won't see any bloom - your little plants are busy building a nice root system. Next year there will be some bloom and then the third year and thereafter, they will bloom abundantly. They are quite long lived so you should enjoy them for many years.

Thank you pudge. I felt better when I read your response to my question and then . . . . . I went out and saw that the rabbits or the deer have eaten a lot of the leaves! It happened overnight. Will they recover?

I have a related question...
When do you guys cut these? I am having mixed results! I have tried cutting them when the cone isn't developed and the petals haven't begun to droop and also when they have...sometimes they last and others they wilt right away.

Thanks,
Wendy

Hi all -- trying again...how many of you use these? I'm really curious now, after reading the article in the July Growing For Market about coneflowers! When do you cut them? Or do you use just the orange cones? How long of stems? etc...
THANKS,
Wendy

Luckyladyd -- plants may recover from some nibbling as long as the main growing point is not injured.

flowers4U -- I've always found the longest-lasting stage is to cut when the petals are expanded and cone still isn't showing much pollen. (That's common to many other flowers, too." Stem length depends on what's available. The first blooms often have nice long stems - over 12 inches. As secondary buds come along, the stems get shorter. Those that wilted "right away" possibly weren't conditioned properly for some reason.

There are many varieties of echinacea (coneflower)native to the USA
They are all hardy long lived perrenials.However, they do take a few seasons to get their roots established and flower.
If you are patient and use 4 or 5 varieties, you can have coneflowers all season.
Or buy some plant or plugs from a native plant nursery