Elegant Echinaceas

Who would've thunk it? Echinaceas, those tried-and-true perennials, have undergone a radical facelift! Not your granny's ubiquitous coneflowers anymore, these members of the daisy family are finally coming into their own over these past few years. And, the excitement is justified.

A mainstay of late gardens in the Great Lakes Region, many of us rely on the classic purple coneflower to bridge the season between high summer Image Courtesy of Itsaul Plants.com. and early fall. Easy to grow, tall and beautiful in their own right, purple coneflowers can be found in just about every garden from Lansing to Fort Wayne, from Hammond to Cleveland, and all points in between. Not only do coneflowers play an important role in our late summer gardens, they are a valuable nectar source for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Another plus is that they are fairly deer-proof and can withstand the rigors of our dry late summer climate. They also provide winter food for birds who relish the seed heads and they also offer architectural interest in the garden during the snowy months.
Itsaul Plants.com

But, that is about it for describing a beautiful but very common garden plant. Right? Wrong.

The rules have all changed.

The past few years have been an exciting time in the breeding of these plants. Plant breeders from Itsaul Plants, the Chicago Botanic Gardens, and others have broken with tradition by crossing the various species of echinacea, recrossing the hybrids, and developing some gorgeous plants to add a big splash of color to the late summer/early fall gardens of our region.

Across the country in Alpharetta Georgia, ItSaul Plants is in the running with its Echinacea Big Sky™ series of coneflowers. The hybrids being developed by Richard Saul more closely resemble the classic E.purpuera (purple coneflower) in flower form and growth habit. There are several new offerings that will be available via mailorder and at local nurseries. Hardy up to zone 4, these echinaceas should hold up well in our region's climate. Here is a rundown of the Big Sky™ series:

'Sunset' is a gorgeous, bright orange-red echinacea, very stately and warm in tone. It is hard to describe this coneflower adequately since it is a blend of oranges, but it is stunning in contrast to the warm brown-red centered cone. According to ItSaul Plants, this coneflower sports a honey scent, a boon for those of us who are always looking for a new plant to add to a fragrant plant collection. Paired with the common purple coneflower, the combination would be stunning.

'Sunrise' is another echinacea. Very pretty yellow, reminiscent of the pale yet warm yellow found in the Lemon Lily daylily or Citron daylilies, it is similar in growth habit but a bit taller than 'Sunset' and would also make a great pairing with the common purple coneflower. The central cone turns from green to warm gold, adding even more interest to this outstanding coneflower. Add fragrance to its many wonderful attributes.

'Harvest Moon' or 'Matthew Saul' is another of ItSaul Plant's introductions. This is a yellow coneflower, but a deeper hue, more golden in tone and similar to coreopsis in color. It also has the classic purple coneflower form and substance. It too, is fragrant.

'Twilight' is the another coneflower from ItSaul Plant's in the Big Sky™ series. A deep rose-red flower with classic coneflower form, it is fragrant and it pairs well with all other coneflowers.

'Sundown' or 'Evan Saul' Coneflower is another orange coneflower that is a deep burnt orange-red echincacea. Another introduction from ItSaul Plants, this lovely coneflower is fragrant and would make another wonderful addition to the late summer garden. The hummingbirds will thank you for it, too!

Back home in our region, one of the first to create a stir was 'Orange Meadowbrite', also known as 'Art's Pride', from the Chicago Botanic Garden's breeding program under the direction of Dr. Jim Ault . Sporting light tangerine orange to light orange-red thin flowers, this coneflower resembles its parent, E. paradoxa, in growth habit. It offers the late garden a warmth of color not readily seen in late summer and early autumn except perhaps in a few early-blooming garden mums. Hardy into zone 4, this plant was developed in our area and is a performer. It gets better with age, so expect its full potential to be reached by its second or third year.