Abstract: To study the effects of NaCl on the growth and cichoric acid content of Echinacea purpurea, 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 mmol?L-1 NaCl were treated to E. purpurea cultivated in garden soil, and salt injury index, fresh weight, dry weight and cichoric acid content were determined. The results showed that: with the increase of NaCl concentration, salt injury index increased as well; less or equal than 120 mmol?L-1 NaCl did not bring obvious influence to the fresh weight of E. purpurea, while 150 mmol?L-1 NaCl markedly decreased their fresh weight; the dry weight of E. purpurea reduced gradually as salt concentration rose; cichoric acid content increased first and then decreased with the increase of salt concentration, getting to the maximum value at 90 mmol?L-1 NaCl level; cichoric acid production per plant showed no significant change between 0 and 60 mmol?L-1 NaCl, increased significantly at 90 mmol?L-1 and then decreased obviously. Although salt stress caused a certain degree of salt damage to E. purpurea, it increased cichoric acid content within a certain salt concentration (0~90 mmol?L-1）.