#YouShouldGrowThis: Coneflowers perfect for August, fall
Most coneflowers begin to flower in August and will continue well into October
Purple coneflower (Echinacea spp.) has always troubled me as a common name because the blossoms are decidedly pink. These are wonderful plants to use as cut flowers for attracting butterflies and for creating some interest in the garden in mid to late summer.
Most of them begin to flower in August and will continue well into October. There have been more new cultivars of echinacea introduced in the past five years than in the past 50. The vast majority of them are far from hardy here, not to mention expensive.
Echinaceas with flowers of red, orange, yellow, green, or gold are to be treated with suspicion. They are often expensive and if they do not have extremely sharp drainage, they do not survive well here. Echinaceas with outrageously doubled and tripled blooms are also poor candidates for prairie growing.
If you want a coneflower that thrives here and asks little in return, I would tell you to choose from the following cultivars. Grow echinacea in full sun, average and well-drained soil. For best effect, grow them in drifts. They are often very late to break dormancy in the spring, so don't despair if they don't come up right away.
Kim's Knee High (35-45 cm)
This is an extremely compact, profuse blooming selection with bright pink flowers appearing from early July until frost.
It is an outstanding garden plant in every way and one of the very hardiest echinaceas that you will find. Introduced in 2001.
Magnus (91 cm)
One of the very best cultivars for the prairies and the 1998 perennial of the year.
This vigorous and robust beauty is a profuse bloomer with large, deep pink blooms. The petals are also held more horizontally then many other forms. Extremely hardy.
Prairie Splendor (60 cm)
Appropriately named variety with very large, light pink blooms on vigorous plants.
Blooms July to frost.
White Swan (81 cm)
This is easily the best known and most recognizable of the white echinaceas.
It has been around for years and while it is a stellar garden plant, it is rarely cultivated to the extent that it should be.
The flowers are pure white, produced in great profusion, and lightly scented. The only problem with it is that the petals have an annoying tendency to turn an ugly, noticeable brown as they fade.
You have to be really diligent with the deadheading or this will detract from the display. White lustre is a similar cultivar. Both of them are extremely hardy and well-suited to our gardens.
#YouShouldDoThis
Are you already growing coneflowers? Want to share your pictures? Show us on Twitter @CBCSask or Facebook and use the hashtags #YouShouldGrowThis and #YouShouldDoThis.
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