Coneflower 'Eccentric' - 2 pieces

CHF 29.95

Coneflower 'Eccentric' - 2 pieces

Name: Coneflower 'Eccentric' - 2 pieces
Brand: Echinacea
Price: 29.95 CHF
Availability: OutOfStock

Echinacea 'Eccentric'

CHF 29.95

Double pompom with a feathery crown
Colour change from purple-red to orange-red
Several shades on one plant at once
Flowers July to September, about 50–70 cm tall
Free-flowering, for sunny borders

'Eccentric' is a double coneflower with character. A dense pompom grows from the cone, purple-red as it opens and later orange-red. Because flowers at different stages stand on one plant, it looks multicoloured and vivid from July to September.

About this variety

'Eccentric' lives up to its name. Instead of a flat cone, each flower carries a tall, feathery pompom of short petals, surrounded by a ring of longer ones. Young flowers shimmer purple-red, older ones turn a warm orange-red, creating a gradient of colour on a single plant.

The perennial grows 50–70 cm tall and suits the front to middle of sunny borders. Combine it with grasses, yarrow or purple verbena. In a pot on the terrace, the pompom can be admired up close. Cutting early in summer extends flowering well into September. Towards the end of the season the petals often turn a little paler, which adds to the charm.

The double flowers last a long time in a vase and bring strong colour to late summer bouquets. Bees and butterflies visit the plant. In free-draining soil and full sun, 'Eccentric' forms a dense clump over the years. The flowers open one after another, so the plant looks fresh for weeks. Coneflowers are also happy in a gravel bed or beside lavender.

Planting

The best planting time is spring (March to May) or autumn (September to October). Choose a spot in full sun with free-draining soil; coneflowers dislike winter waterlogging. Dig the planting hole twice the size of the root ball and set the shoot buds just below the surface. Allow 35–50 cm between plants and water in well afterwards.

Care

Water regularly in dry weather during the first year, afterwards only in long hot spells. A dose of compost in spring is all the feeding needed. Leave the seed heads standing over winter for goldfinches and other birds. Cut back in March. Older clumps can be divided in spring.

Specifications

Botanical name: Echinacea 'Eccentric'
Genus: Coneflower
Class: Various
Supplied as: Bare roots
Flower colour: Red
Flower size: 8 cm
Fragrant: No
Flowering time: July, August, September
Flowering season: High summer, Late summer and autumn
Foliage colour: Mid-green
Height: 60 cm
Spread: 50 cm
Habit: Clump-forming
Position: Sun
Suitable for: Bed, Bed edge and border, Wildlife garden and meadow, Rock garden, Woodland edge, Under trees and shrubs, Cutting garden
Soil type: Chalky, Loamy, Sandy
Drainage: Well-drained
Soil moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Neutral
Soil note: Suitable for many Swiss garden soils. A loose structure and good drainage matter more than a particular soil type.
Planting time: March, April, May, September, October
Planting depth: Just cover the root collar
Spacing: 35–50 cm
Number per m²: 4
Hardiness in Switzerland: Hardy in Switzerland
Overwintering note: Generally hardy in garden soil in Switzerland. At high, windy sites and in containers, plan extra winter protection and avoid winter wet.
For containers: Only partly suitable for containers
Container note: Only recommended in a sufficiently large, stable, well-drained container.
Cut flower: Suitable as a cut flower
Naturalising: Not suitable
Naturalising note: Persists for several years in a suitable spot, but does not normally spread over larger areas on its own.
For bees and butterflies: Pollinator-friendly
RHS hardiness: H5