Echinacea is used widely all over the world for a range of illnesses, infections, and conditions. Below is a list of some of these uses.
acid indigestion
attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder
chronic fatigue syndrome
dizziness
gum disease
migraine
pain
rheumatism
septicemia - bloodstream infection
streptococcus infection
flu
tonsillitis
urinary tract infection
vaginal yeast infection
Boil and infuse before use. Echinacea is a perennial plant native to central parts of the USA, 3 main varieties are grown and used commercially and all are under threat in the wild. The plants grow between 60cm – 1.2 metres and have simple rough stems, which are hollow near the base and thicken closer to the flower head. The leaves are elongated, slightly elliptical and are covered with tiny coarse hairs. The flowers central cone, looks a little like a teasel, surrounded by rough hairy bracts, which are in actual fact hundreds of tiny individual flowers. Flowers occur in a variety of colours including White, Pink, Purple and Orange.
