Beautiful and dependable, Echinacea purpurea, or purple coneflower, is the crowning glory of the summer perennial garden. A member of the Aster family, all Echinacea species are native to North America. The genus Echinacea is derived from the Greek ‘echino’ meaning hedgehog, a reference to the spiny center disc flowers.

Coneflowers are practical as well as gorgeous. They have long been used as an herbal remedy to stimulate the body’s natural immune system. Both plant roots and tops are used in the production of herbal medicines. Echinacea purpurea has traditionally been used for this purpose, but research is being conducted on the nine other species to determine their usefulness for homeopathic treatments.

Cultivating Coneflowers

Coneflowers will thrive in a sunny location, planted in well-drained soil. They are tolerant of nutrient-poor soil, heat and humidity. Echinacea purpurea grows on thick sturdy stems from 3-5 feet tall and generally does not require staking. Coneflowers are long-blooming, the flowers are fragrant and they make a long-lasting cut flower. This is one of the top ten perennials for attracting butterflies to the garden. You may deadhead plants after the blooms have faded to improve their appearance and to encourage a second, but smaller, bloom. You may also leave seed heads in place. In the summer and fall, they attract and provide food for goldfinches and other seed-loving birds. In the winter, the black spent flower heads add ornamental interest as they contrast dramatically with pure white snow.

This perennial is not invasive, but will self-seed if flower heads are left to mature. Cut plants down to the basal foliage, the low growing rosette of leaves, in the spring. Plants should be lifted and divided about every four years or as crowns become crowded.

Where to Place Coneflowers

Purple coneflower is a great addition to the back of any sunny perennial border. Its rose-purple flowers, with their coppery-orange centers, look great with ornamental grasses, Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy.’ Appropriate usage ideas include: cottage, meadow, prairie, wildflower, native and herb gardens, as well as butterfly gardens and any containers that serve similar purposes.

Favorite Coneflowers

America is having a love affair with Echinacea and several new cultivars are released each year, while popular favorites continue to be top choices.

Popular Echinacea Varieties

• ‘Baby White Swan’ – Dwarf ‘White Swan’
• ‘Bright Star’– Petals are pale purple-pink on the edge and darker toward disc
• ‘Coconut Lime’ – New for 2007, first double white coneflower
• ‘Doubledecker’ – Unusual two-tiered coneflower with ray petals in disc
• ‘Fancy Frills’ – Petals are frilled on the edge
• ‘Fatal Attraction’ – Vivid purple-pink flowers with 2 rows of petals
• ‘Fragrant Angle’ – Large, fragrant, snow white flowers
• ‘Green Envy’ – Unusual rounded green petals with magenta veining near the cone
• ‘Green Eyes’ – Magenta flower with a green center disc
• ‘Hope’ – Pale pink flower named in honor of a cure for breast cancer
• ‘Kim’s Knee High’ – Dwarf with recurved ray petals and large orange cone
• ‘Kim’s Mophead’ – Compact plant with white flowers
• ‘Magnus’ – 1998 Perennial Plant of the Year, purple-pink flowers, 3’ tall
• ‘Mars’ – Large orange cones surrounded by brilliant rose-purple petals
• ‘Merlot’ – Large rose-pink flowers on wine colored, sturdy stems
• ‘Pink Double Delight’ – Similar to ‘Razzmatazz’ with a more compact habit
• ‘Razzmatazz’ – Double, bright pink flower on very sturdy stems
• ‘Ruby Giant’ – Large, rich ruby-pink flowers that are highly fragrant
• ‘Ruby Star’ – Reddish-purple flowers held horizontally
• ‘Sparkler’ – Rose-pink flowers, white-splashed variegated foliage
• ‘Tiki Torch’ – Large, bright orange flowers
• ‘White Swan’ – White coneflower with downward reflexed petals

Echinacea Big Sky Series

• ‘After Midnight’ – Dwarf plant with brilliant magenta, highly fragrant blooms
• ‘Harvest Moon’ – Gold flower with golden-orange cone
• ‘Summer Sky’ – Bicolor flower, soft peach and rose petals
• ‘Sundown’ – Russet-orange with a prominent brown central cone
• ‘Sunrise’ – Lemon-yellow flowers
• ‘Sunset’ – Orange flowers with prominent brown central cone
• ‘Twilight’ – Vibrant rose-red with a deep red cone

Echinacea Meadowbrite Series

• ‘Mango Meadowbrite’ – Mango color, paler than orange meadowbright
• ‘Orange Meadowbrite’ – Large single blooms of rich sunset orange
• ‘Pixie Meadowbrite’ – A true dwarf, only 18” high, bright pink flowers

The list that we have provided is not all-inclusive, nor an accurate representation of every coneflower variety we carry. Please stop by often as we continue to provide standard, new and unusual perennials, including many new types of coneflowers.

Few perennials can match the daylily (Hemerocallis) for versatility and durability. One of the most popular perennials, daylilies have become a collector plant for novice and experienced gardeners alike. Thousands of named cultivars are trouble-free to grow and adaptable to many conditions, which makes daylily collecting fun and easy. Although each lily-like flower lasts only one day, there are always more buds to open which provide summer color and a subtly changing garden for many weeks.

Using Daylilies

Just as there are many different daylilies to try, there are many different ways to try them. Plant them individually for a pop of color, or create a mixed border with other plants or multiple daylily types. Daylilies can be a fun surprise when naturalized in a grassy area or grouped in a mass as a groundcover over larger areas. Taller varieties can even become simple screens or create gentle privacy surrounds. The creative gardener may even use multiple daylilies to create fun patterns or pictures in a themed flowerbed.

Daylily Care

Daylilies tolerate dry, poor soil, but perform best and reach their full potential in rich well-drained beds. Different cultivars have different needs for sunlight, moisture and fertilizing, and while these flowers do well even if somewhat neglected, it is best to try to meet their needs so each bloom can flourish. Some will tolerate drought and frost better than others, while certain cultivars need more attention. All are quite low-maintenance, however, and will thrive for years even in marginal conditions.

Popular Daylilies

There are too many daylily types to list – there are more than 35,000 different cultivars – but some tried-and-true selections that are always favorites include…

• Hyperion – 40” tall, space 18-24” apart. Delightfully fragrant, large, 5” primrose-yellow flowers with a green throat in mid to late summer. Full sun or part shade.
• Mary Todd – 26” tall, space 24-30” apart. Golden or buff 6-7” flowers on a semi-evergreen foliage. Blooms midseason. Full sun.
• Stella De’Oro – 12-18” tall, space 18-24” apart. Golden yellow 2-3” flowers with a green throat on a compact plant. Reblooms all summer. Full sun.
• Joan Senior – 25” tall, space 24-30” apart. Near-white 6” flowers with a green throat on an evergreen plant. Blooms midseason. Full sun.
• Becky Lynn – 20” tall, space 24” apart. Large, 6” rose-blend flowers with a green throat in a semi-evergreen plant. Blooms midseason, then reblooms. Full sun.
• Rocket City – 36” tall, space 18-24” apart. Eye-catching, two-tone orange blossoms are up to 6” across. Blooms midseason. Full sun or part shade.

There are always more daylily types to try; come in today to see the latest, hottest, most amazing cultivars of these versatile blooms, and you’ll be eager to add more of them to your landscape.

Daylily Fun Fact:

The American Hemerocallis Society has classified daylilies by flower size. A miniature has flowers less than 3” in diameter, small-flowered cultivars have flowers from 3-4 ½” and large-flowered cultivars have flowers 4 ½” or larger.

It only takes a few plants to cast a tropical look upon a garden. Although our gardening zone here isn’t strictly tropical, it’s still possible to include some tropical and tropical-looking plants in our landscapes to create a lush summer oasis that hints at a vibrant paradise.

Use Houseplants for Tropical Flair

A simple way to add a tropical touch to your garden is to place houseplants among your outside ornamentals. As many of our houseplants originated in tropical, semi-tropical or desert zones, they’re right at home in the summer garden. Consider the effect of adding spathiphyllums, orchids, ficus or cacti to your garden or patio. A brugmansia (sometimes called datura), with giant drooping, fragrant flowers epitomizes the idea of “tropical.” Potted citrus trees produce fruit and fragrance. A “tree” of tillandsias (air plants) creates an amazing sculpture. A single large stag-horn fern hanging from the side of a sturdy shade tree is another eye-catcher. When summer ends, simply shower the plants, look for insects and treat if necessary, and reinstall them in the house to provide winter enjoyment.

Summer Tropical Bulbs

Many beautiful bulbs can add a tropical vibe to your garden with very little care or maintenance. Here are a few of our favorite summer bulb additions to the tropical garden, but remember that these plants are not winter hardy here and the bulbs must be dug up and stored inside for the winter.

• Caladiums: Available in a variety of colors including pink, white, gray, green, red, white, mottled and variegated. These plants flourish in shade with rich soil and regular watering.

• Callas: This slender plant with large green leaves grows 2-4′ tall. White spath-shaped flowers in spring and early summer rise above the leaves. Grows best in wet soils and light shade.

• Cannas: Large leaves of green, red or variegated with spectacular flowers of red, orange, yellow, pink or cream in summer and early fall. Tall varieties grow to 6′ and dwarf varieties grow to 3′. Plant in full sun.

In addition to bulbs, other bold and exciting additions with tropical flair include:

• Chilean Jasmine (Mandevilla laxa): A deciduous vine growing 15′ or higher, this provides an overhead tropical look when grown on a pergola or overhead structure. Very fragrant white flowers in summer add to the tropical effect. Requires rich soil.

• Gunnera: Huge, dark green, stiff-haired leaves growing to 8′ tall. These “dinosaur food plants” make an amazing statement in the landscape. Requires good soil and ample water. Produces large red cone-shaped flowers.

• Hibiscus: Tropical Hibiscus may be set outside for the summer in our area and brought back in when the cold weather sets in. There are, however, two varieties of hibiscus that are hardy in our area:
  • Rose-Mallow or Perennial Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos): An American native, grows as a perennial with many varieties of different sizes and colors. Flowers may grow to 12″ diameter in red, pink or white. Regular fertilizing increases bloom vigor and colors.
  • Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus): Deciduous shrub growing to 12′ tall but easily trained or kept smaller. Flowers, 2 ½-3″, in mid- or late summer.

• Palms: Nothing says tropical like a palm. Here are four that are readily available and can be used in your garden for a lush accent.
  • Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix): Fan palm with short or no trunk, to 6′ tall. Extremely winter hardy.
  • Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor): Native to the southeastern United States. Grows 4-6′ tall by 8′ wide. Green or blue-green fan-shaped fronds.
  • Mazari Palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana): Shrubby clumping growth to 6′ tall, bluish-green colored fan fronds.
  • Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunea): Grows to 30′ tall and 10′ wide.

• Bamboo: Few plants rival this group of grasses for hardiness, tropical appearance and variation. Both clumping and running bamboos vary in color, height and requirements. From the dwarf to the giant, there’s a bamboo to add tropical pizzazz to your garden.

To see the best selections for our growing zone or ask questions about creating a tropical garden, come in and talk with our friendly staff. They can help you make the best selection to put the topical in your garden paradise.

Touted by some as the “fruit from the fountain of youth” because of its high antioxidant, carotene and essential amino acids content, the goji berry (Lycium barbarum), also creates a large sensation in the garden. Additionally, it’s easy to grow in zones 3-10 (even in seaside locations!) and doesn’t need a second plant for cross-pollination as it is self-pollinating. Is this super plant right for your garden?

Growing Goji Berry

In its natural form, this vigorous vine sprawls along the ground but training it to grow vertically is tidier, more space efficient and will protect nearby plants from overcrowding. Tie it to a strong stake, espalier along a wall or train along another framework for an attractive 8-10′ long plant and easier harvesting of the berries. Full sun exposure produces the most fruit. In areas where summer temperatures exceed 100⁰ F, provide afternoon light shade. It thrives in alkaline soil with a pH from 6.8-8.1. Add lime to the soil to increase the pH, if necessary. Regular watering and light fertilizing, along with light pruning to maintain its shape and appearance, are all that’s necessary to grow your own goji berries.

If your space is limited, grow goji in a container. Container growing produces fruit earlier, makes it easier to maintain the soil pH and easily manages the vine’s size. Moreover, it’s quite attractive. Because the taproot grows deeply, be sure to choose a frost-proof container at least 18″ deep and 18″ diameter or larger.

In the spring, bright red-orange berries follow lavender bell-shaped flowers. Since birds love the fruit, cover with netting to protect it so it can ripen fully.

The berries turn red before they reach their full ripeness. Allow the berries to remain on the plant prior to harvesting to develop the best flavor. The best way to tell if they’re ripe is to eat one. When the tart taste becomes sweeter, they’re ready. Use the fresh berries in salads, sauces, juices or soups, or experiment by adding them to favorite jam recipes, infusing water or creating crushed fruit spreads. Alternatively, preserve your berries by drying or freezing and you can enjoy them long after the harvest ends.

At first frost, the plant becomes dormant and the leaves drop. They’re hardy to -18⁰ F. When the temperatures rise to 50⁰ F, the leaves and fruit begin anew. In warmer areas, then, the growing season will be longer and you can enjoy goji berries even more, while in cooler zones you will have a shorter season, but one that is just as sweet.

If you have questions or need assistance choosing your goji berry, soil or container, our friendly staff is always glad to help.