Echinacea

Echinacea

Coneflower

• Position: full sun
• Soil: well-drained, humus-rich soil
• Flowering period: July to September
• Height:0,6-0,9m
• Foliage: deciduous
• Hardiness: fully hardy

Echinacea is a perfect plant for a summer border. This easy-to-grow late-flowering perennial will add interest and colour during late summer. It produces long-lasting flowers on sturdy stems, so it doesn’t need staking or tying.

Bees and butterflies enjoy the pollen- and nectar-rich flowers.

Varieties

Echinacea purpurea

Probably the most popular of all echinaceas is Echinacea purpurea. It produces pretty rosy-purple, daisy-like flowers with a striking orange-brown central cone. Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’ is similar to Echinacea purpurea in colour but has larger flowers.

Echinacea purpurea ‘Fatal Attraction’

This  coneflower bears large magenta-pink flowers with a brown centre on sturdy, dark red stems. It flowers from July to September and grows to 80 cm tall. Echinacea ‘Fatal Attraction’ is attractive to bees and butterflies.

Echinacea pallida

For something special, you could try Echinacea pallida, which has long, slender pale pink drooping petals with a dark maroon cone. Expect a height of 80cm.

Echinacea ‘Fatal Attraction’                         Echinacea pallida

Pruning

Pruning Echinacea ( coneflower). Cut back old stem just above ground level after flowering. Or leave a couple of dead stems and seed heads standing.

They will provide food for wildlife. From autumn birds will eat the seeds.

How to grow

Echinaceas perform best when grown in full sun and well-drained soil. They don’t like wet soil during the winter.

Echinacea plant combination

Echinaceas look good with Agastache, Aster, Verbena bonariensis, Perovskia, Buddleja davidii.

Buddleja davidii ‘Royal Red’