I leave mine for the most part. Goldfinches love the seed and perch on the plants. Fun! Even with the birds eating from the seed heads, mine have spread nicely.

I think it is a good question, though, and I was actually wondering today if I should deadhead this year. Can't wait to hear what other folks have to say!

I usually leave the flower heads on for winter interest and the birds. But if you're wanting to save the seeds for propagation I'd probably try to get to the heads before the birds do - you still don't want to cut them too early, or else the seed won't be ready.

For several years I left mine for winter interest and for the birds, but I guess my birds don't eat enough, because I've got coneflowers coming out of my ears! I'm actually starting to pull them as weeds because I just can't give away any more.

This year, they're getting deadheaded.

:)
Dee

I normally remove the smaller buds and leave the largest ones up for the goldfinches. I had to remove quite a few diseased coneflower plants this year, so I just might leave the bulk of the seedheads up and let the birds do their and flick the seed around.

If you have a named variety, you'll lose it to the seedlings eventually, which will not be true to type. And there will be a LOT of seedlings. Division works, though it's slower.

My Echinacea reseeds like crazy too. This year I have weeded out TONS of them. Generally, I am not crazy about the seedlings of mixed parentage (especially when crossed with the Big Sky plants) and have decided to cull out the plants I don't like. They have become too much of a mish-mash.

I leave some of the seed heads up for the birds, and I also cut some and store them in the garage. Periodically through the winter I will tape a bunch of seed heads to the bird feeder pole, which the Goldfinches love to eat.

Why not do both? Deadhead now for more flowers, but starting in the late fall, leave the seedheads for the birds and to get more flowers. Best of both worlds!

Last year I was sick almost the entire summer and I didn't deadhead. Man, I have a LOT of echinacea now. (although not as much as my Helianthus Summer sun. Now that's a reseeder.)

I leave them for the birds, and they do self seed.

When the seeds are completely dried, gather them up and put in envelope to use as a trade. If you have any Mangus seeds, I'd love to have some, if even a Tablespoon full. I'll pay for the postage.

Something seems to be picking the petals off some of my zinnas and coneflowers..I haven't seen any goldfinches but I haven't been standing watch for the culprit either.

I found I really got great rebloom when I deadheaded. I learned that by accident when the mailman kept popping echinacea buds off the plants on his way to the front door. [g] That plant had more blooms on it that year than any other. I did see some reseeding this year but not a huge amount. I am out of room so I'll have to deadhead. I probably will try to leave some for the birds in the fall though.

Pippi, typical Goldfinch behavior, the theory is they are picking off the petals to have better access to the seeds. Kind of cute but annoying!

So which kinds will breed true from the seed - will any of them? I have a few of the newer types and was just out collecting seeds today but there's no point if they are different than the plant. I have Sundown, Razzmatazz, Green Eyes Wink (or something like that)and supposedly the double decker pink one although it doesn't do the double decker thing. I also have the old white and purple ones. Thanks for some advice.

I would like seeds too and I would pay postage ..purple cone flower.