Echinacea, or Purple Coneflower, is commonly used as an immune booster. It is an appropriate use of this herb, but few people are familiar with Echinacea’s true versatility.

It is in the Composite family (the same as dandelions) and is native to the United States. East of the Mississippi, it is present as Echinacea purpurea; on the western prairies, Echinacea augustifolia. The Indians of the east coast did not use the plant frequently, but E. augustifolia was commonly used by the Plains Indians. Today both are used interchangeably and research has demonstrated that they both contain similar constituents; however, the eclectic physicians of the nineteenth century felt that E. purpurea was not as potent as the western variety.  Click here to continue reading…