Echinacea-Coneflower

[R. Rock]

Anyone having luck w/ Tiki Torch or Harvest Moon? Thanks

[Chris_W]

Hi,

I haven't grown Tiki Torch yet, but Harvest Moon has been excellent for me - once I got them from a decent source. The first few times we received them the starter plants were in very poor shape and barely survived, but now they are doing just fine and have come back bigger and better each year.

Are you having trouble with them, or just wondering?

[nanny_56]

I am reserving judgement on Harvest Moon until I see what it does this summer. My first one died and I bought a replacement. But it didn't do much last year. I will not spend money on Tiki Torch yet until It has proven itself!

[caliloo]

I dont think my Tiki Torch made it through the winter. All the others are showing small leaves, but nada where Tiki Torch is

[R. Rock]

Thanks! Continue the input.

[Linda P]

I have not tried either of those, but have lost Sunset (I think that's the right name) at least twice. My friend has very nice clumps of several of the new varieties started. It will be interesting to see if they come back after this very cold winter.
I've kind of given up on them, though I just love all the new colors. I have the species, gathered from a roadside that was being torn up, and Magnus.
Linda P

[Hosta12_Ia]

I got both last year and they are both peeking their heads out. We'll see. I love all of the new colors, too.

Jo

[R. Rock]

In my experience Sunset and Sunrise should be avoided. No amount of pampering in zone 4 will make these grow. Just simply no vigor.

[Chris_W]

I think there are two problems going on with these plants, but I don't think they are inherently bad or not cold hardy. First I think the wholesale growers are really treating them poorly, creating weak plants to begin with. It seems like every other order of coneflowers that I get arrive rotten, or are starting to rot, or go on to rot. Then a lot of growers are using a paper plug system and the paper seems to hold way too much moisture for coneflowers. The second main problem is that Echinacea like to be dry most of the time, especially in the winter, so if you have good soil that holds any moisture they are doomed from the start - if you water them regularly then they will be weaker - and if they have that paper plug still around the crown it can lead to rot.

Some might also be harboring fungus or bacteria. That's the only thing I can figure since I give all my Echinacea the same care and one wholesaler's plants will die while another batch of the same plants but from a different grower will thrive, side-by-side.

Art's Pride grows like a weed for me, so does sunset, sundown, and harvest moon. Twilight took a couple years to get established from poor starts, but now they are doing fine. All are grown in a gravel/sand soil with some compost worked in, on a dry hillside. The seedlings from them are really unique too, so I think we will see new varieties of these popping up like the weeds that they are

[Linda P]

Chris, I am pretty sure that good soil is my problem with these. I do have a bed that has a great deal of gravel under it, and I'll have to try some of them there.
Thanks for the info!!
Linda P

[R. Rock]

Yes indeed,

Good info. I understand the native environment these plants thrive in. Your high ph seems to help. The species itself seems to be better adaptable to various soils. I too have examined from both wholesale sources. If I do purchase some I will lean towards the 3" liners and not the paper pots. I would like to "boycot" this source as much as possible; given their hosta b.s.

In the future there will be some more durable beauties for various conditions. May try to hold tight till then; unless I have the perfect conditions for them.

I'm looking forward to the Harvest Moon I ordered from you. Thought I would have a better chance of survival given they are "field grown"

[notmartha]

mine are both just starting to peek through the ground-we shall see as they were new here
last summer!

[Midnight Reiter Too]

Right now I don't recall all the names of my coneflowers, but I have two yellow ones that I planted last year. I'll see if they come back.

[nanny_56]

Boo Hoo.... My After Midnight & Sunset bit the dust and didn't make it thru the winter...

[Ginger]

I usually don't care for coneflowers much, they grow wild everywhere in my neck of the woods, but Chris has a pink one I like alot I might have to try it, and from reading your posts, I have the perfect soil! All sand

Ginger

[R. Rock]

Hi,
Just a note; I have had really good luck w/ the variety 'Vintage Wine'. 30" or so tall, red- purple stems and wine-rasberry flowers.

[gamekeeper]

Never had them before but the new colors I couldn't resist,bought several the two I remember are Tomato Soup,Mac and cheese.Seem to be doing well for yearlings but need Sun.

[nanny_56]

Well, Harvest Moon made it thru the winter and is blooming now. By what I am seeing I would not recommend it. To many buds that have very few to almost no petals. This is a huge disappointment. I am not sure where I purchased this one from.

Vintage Wine is one that I would like to try if I could find one locally. These are just to expensive to mail order and then have them die. My efforts to try and have a butterfly garden have failed miserably.

[gamekeeper]

Got my first plants this spring Tomato Soup and Macaroni and cheese I believe are two of the cultivars.However being such a compulsive person and having been so involved in Dogs and all the details I decided when I started gardening it would be a fun project solely for my enjoyment thus I don't try to keep records or mark the plants I have things come up that I truely love and have no idea what it is or when I planted it etc.I apply the same principles as with the Dogs "If you take care of your plants your plants will take care of you." Why I haven't had cONEFLOWERS BEFORE I'll never know as thet are great plants.