Echinacea SUNSEEKERS POMEGRANATE coneflower
Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)
Symbivit (arbuscular)Echinacea
Echinacea, known by its common name coneflower, is a perennial plant of the North American prairies, where it has thrived for thousands of years. Fossil pollen from related members of the daisy family has been found in sediments millions of years old, meaning its foremothers grew on this continent long before the arrival of humans. The Indigenous peoples of America (including the Sioux, Comanche, and others) knew its medicinal properties and used it to relieve pain, treat inflammation, snakebites, and even rabies. The genus name comes from the Greek echinos – hedgehog – referring to the spiny, cone-shaped centre of the flower head. Today, about nine species are recognized, the most common in cultivation being E. purpurea, along with E. paradoxa, E. pallida, and E. angustifolia. It was botanically described by the German botanist Konrad Mönch (aka Conrad Moench, 1744–1805) based on herbarium material brought to Europe by missionaries and naturalists from American expeditions. Echinacea reached Europe at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, but its true explosion of colour came in 1995, when E. purpurea was crossed with E. paradoxa at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The result was the very first orange cultivar named Art’s Pride, which sparked an era of vividly coloured varieties in shades ranging from delicate pastels to rich, warm tones.
Flowers with fruit-like variety names sound very tasty and make you want them just because they recall a taste of fruit you like. Exactly as in case of this hybrid coneflower from the SUNSEEKERS series from 2022. Its name is SUNSEEKERS POMEGRANATE and bears 7-8 cm wide, single, fragrant flowers which open soft coral pink with pale orange hues and gain fuchsia to garnet red tones of a ripe pomegranate as they mature.
The discs are rather flat (not cone-shaped), dark orange and brown, and hide plenty of nectar for butterflies, bumble bees as well as bees. Flowering begins from midsummer and lasts until the last sunny and warm days of autumn. Longevity of individual flowers is 2-3 weeks. Plants are compact and well-branches. Stems are usually 40-50 cm tall. Deadhead spent flowers regularly and feed the plants every two weeks during summer. Leaves are healthy, deep green, and broadly lanceolate.PFAF.
The SunSeekers series of Echinacea offers a wide palette of this remarkable perennial, with all varieties boasting vigorous health, dense growth, and abundant flowering in saturated colors that don’t fade. The first part of the series, identified by patent designations beginning with "Apecss-", features cultivars with simple flowers in rich, dark shades. In contrast, the newer group — with names starting "Ifecss-" — represents a completely fresh direction, with varieties whose magnificent, often semi-double or exceptionally large flowers look strikingly unique: more like gerberas crossed with dahlias than traditional echinaceas.
These plants are bred by Innoflora B.V. of the Netherlands. Their journey to fame began in 2018, when the first cultivar, SUNSEEKERS SALMON, won the prestigious gold medal from KVBC at the Dutch novelty fair Plantarium and took the coneflower world by storm. The credit goes to breeder Jelle van den Haak, who created six standout cultivars in the series. Yet, cultivars appearing after 2020 carry a distinct handwriting and signature – that of Glenn Spil, another accomplished breeder. These newer varieties also have inventive, flavourful names that sound so tasty (yet inedible), such as Pumpkin Pie, Mineola, Watermelon, or simply Citrus 😊. Imaginative, right? All of these cultivars bear the label Plants for Pollinators invented by the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), thanks to their rich nectar that supports bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
The plant is usually trouble-free and resistant, just be careful if slugs are present in your garden. Since coneflowers emerge quite late, often when slugs are already in their lethal strength, they could gobble up newly emerging foliage totally and thus destroy the plant before it even comes out.
Last update 15-09-2023
Coneflowers are beautiful, low-maintenance perennials that bloom from the first half of summer until autumn. The central discs hide nectar eagerly sought by butterflies and bumblebees. Regular deadheading, along with occasional feeding with liquid fertilizers, will extend the flowering season. Their stems are very sturdy, withstanding heavy rain and wind. They will grow in almost any well-drained, non-waterlogged soil in full sun, but dislike overly acidic conditions. Although native to the prairies, experience shows that hybrid types in particular dislike prolonged drought and appreciate extra watering during the driest parts of the year. In spring, watch out for slug invasions, which can consume much of the fresh growth – offering them beer traps is a great and effective way to lure them to a boozy demise while protecting your plants. Hardy to at least -29 °C (USDA zone 5), possibly lower, and requiring no winter protection
