Patrick Greenwald 2014

There is nothing quite so hauntingly beautiful as hiking past a rock escarpment covered in

Echinacea simulata or a grassy meadow scattered with the Echinacea purpurea on a humid

stormy overcast afternoon in June. Echinacea (coneflowers) are truly iconic of the great

American countryside. Native to glades and prairies of the Midwest and Eastern United States,

they add beauty to any landscape, tolerating the hot summers of the south and cold winters of the

north (plant hardiness zone 4-8).

From the prairies to our backyard gardens, Echinacea purpurea for many years have graced sun

gardens throughout the country. When I first began interning at a local nursery back home, I

cared for Echinacea ‘Magnus, and ‘Ruby Star’, old standby cultivars in the perennial gardener’s

palate. But what a difference a few years have made. Plant breeding has led to a plethora of

colorful cultivars with varying growth habits. Colors range from pure white and rosy purple to

vibrant fire engine red.

The Echinacea cultivars commonly available at nurseries and garden centers are hybrids and

cultivars of Echinacea purpurea. Each plant produces numerous composite bristly cone like disk

flowers surrounded by a vibrant rim of ray flowers, each lasting weeks on end.

Echinacea: an all American native perennial

Patrick Greenwald 2014

Eachinacea purpurea is one of the most useful perennials for sun gardens. I have grown these

on the edge of a rain garden and in A dry, hot site. Once established, these plants tolerate

neglect. In fact, they only require well drained garden soil, plenty of sun, and an annual layer of

hardwood mulch for soil moisture retention. Avoid over fertilizing to limit leggy, excessive

stretched growth. Clemson University recommends lightly fertilizing Echinacea species with an

all-purpose 12-6-6 (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) in the spring when plants are beginning to

break dormancy. From experience, Echinacea prefers a full sun location, but tolerates part shade,

and does well planted near roadsides, along a woodland border, and in moist soil. Since some of

the hybrids on the market today have Echinacea paradoxa and other Echinacea species which

thrive in dryer, rockier soil structure, it is best to plant these hybrids in well-drained soil which

does not stay too wet in winter to limit root rot.

We at Pender Nursery have some beautiful Echinacea

available. ‘White Swan’, grows up to 3 feet tall,

producing bountiful pure white flowers with a center

orange cone. ‘Kim’s Knee High’ is a shorter growing

variety, at 24 inches tall, and has been blooming profusely

with vibrant rose pink flowers. But the standout Echinacea

this year has been those in the Sombrero series, ‘Lemon

Yellow’ and ‘Hot Coral,’ whose names say it all…just

beautiful!

Coneflowers are usually a pest free perennial if grown in

the proper environment. But there are a few pests which

can become an issue at different times of the year,

depending on the weather. In cool wet summers, powdery

mildew can present a problem. The grey-white fuzzy

growth on the surface of the usually deep green leaves of

Echinacea are actually the fungi mycelium (fungi body)

growing over the surface of the leaf as if extracts nutrients from within the leaf structure. The

best way to control powdery mildew is through increasing the airflow around the plants. This can

be accomplished by dividing perennials every 4 years to limit overlapping foliage which creates

a great location for the fungi to develop.

Another common disease of coneflowers is called Asters Yellows which can affect everything

from carrots to Rudbeckia and dandelions. This disease is caused by a phytoplasma (a bacterium

without a cell wall) and is transmitted by the piercing sucking mouthparts of leafhoppers. The

classic symptom of Asters Yellows disease is deform branching of the flower heads called

witches brooms. It is truly an odd disease, simply causing abnormal growth on a seemingly

normal plant without directly killing it. Since there is no cure, it is best controlled by removing

diseased plants immediately. Removing weeds such as dandelions which can harbor the disease

will also help with its control.

This tough perennial ads texture and height contrast to the perennial sun garden. Try planting

Kim’s Knee High’ with a backdrop of Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) for a stunning

Patrick Greenwald 2014

contrast of color. Butterflies adore coneflowers, being a valuable nectar source. As an added

bonus, the spent ‘cones’ are a favorite seed source of goldfinches. Look for blooming Pender

grown Echinacea at a garden center near you.

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1 http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c580 2 Armitage, Allan. ‘Herbaceous Perennial Plants 2nd ed. 1997. 369-373 3 http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/diseases/viruses/aster-yellows.aspx 4 http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/pests/plant_pests/flowers/hgic2049.html 5 http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/pdf/hgic1153.pdf