Pour hot water over dried leaves and let steep for about ten minutes, covered. Traditionally consumed as a short course at the first signs of a cold, it is advisable to seek professional advice for dosage. Dosage must be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.
Fresh or dried root is macerated in alcohol for several weeks then filtered. This concentrated form, widely used by herbalists, requires professional advice to determine dosage and duration of use. Dosage must be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.
The cut root is brought to a gentle boil in water then simmered for about fifteen minutes before straining. A healthcare professional can indicate the frequency and duration appropriate for each situation. Dosage must be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.
Echinacea is cultivated in many gardens and herbalist farms, and is also available in dried form, as a tincture, or in capsules at specialized herbalist shops and pharmacies. In the wild, it grows in dry prairies of North America, but harvesting there is now regulated to preserve natural populations.
Roots are traditionally harvested in autumn from plants at least three years old, while leaves and flowers are gathered in summer, at the height of flowering.