Appearing in an array of bright cheerful bloom colors on daisy shaped blooms, coneflowers (Echinacea) are immensely attractive to both gardeners and pollinators. In our new Sunseekers series, all of the varieties stay compact (18-24” tall) and boast large blooms on well branched plants.
There are three specific Sunseekers varieties we would like to highlight for their unique semi-double blooms. These beautiful flowers have multiple layers of petals, while the round seed cone in the center remains revealed. ‘Pumpkin Pie’ features rich deep orange blooms. ‘Sweet Fuchsia’ dazzles with hottest pink blooms, and ‘White Perfection’ is creamy white.
Coneflowers bloom for months in mid to late summer making them a great addition to any sun drenched garden border. They are long lasting cut flowers and are not eaten by deer. (Rabbits on the other hand can munch on coneflowers, especially early in the year. Sprinkle some of our organic Plantskydd granules around your Echinacea as the leaves emerge in spring to insure a healthy start amongst rabbit herds.) If you allow old flower heads to remain on your plant, the seeds are an excellent food source for birds in winter. Coneflowers are drought tolerant once established and very cold hardy. They do not like wet soils in winter however, so work to insure they have good drainage in your planting beds. Stop by the perennial courtyard at Squak Mt. soon to select your favorite new Sunseeker bloom colors.