This was the year of the Echinacea and it has brought us five new Echinacea This plant known as the coneflower has several species native to the North American Continent. Out of several of the species have come 78 varieties. Many of these new varieties look like their native cousins. This year five new varieties have been introduced.

Echinacea ‘Aloha’ is one of the prairie Series from Terra Nova. It is patented and cannot be propagated.   This yellow-flowered and bushy habit has a long bloom period this will make it a great addition to the yellow-flowered Echinacea’s

Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’ is a seed strain of Tomato red, magenta, golden yellow, fluorescent orange and white. This color range and its growth habit will make this a must-have coneflower to put into a garden next to some grasses. To give it a native prairie garden look. Trouble it is a mix, so getting all colors one must buy several plants.

Echinacea ‘Colorburst Orange’ PPAf is series of coneflowers called Colorburst. This is another outstanding introduction from Terra Nova. This Echinacea has large orange pompom flowers. This is a fragrant variety that attracts butterflies. It is a well-branched plant with an excellent variety of mass summer flowers.

Echinacea ‘Purple Emperor’ PPAF is from the Butterfly series by Arie Blom. It moves into the series with ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Julia’. It has large saturated magenta-purple flowers. These flowers are born on clumps of bushy green foliage. This plant is stunning in mass plantings.

Echinacea ‘Secret Affair’ PPAF is in the SECRET series of coneflowers. This is another great introduction from Terra Nova. These sizeable flowers stay on from midsummer until late in some areas frost. The coneflower will be great for cut flower bouquets that will enhance any room.

These five new Echinacea’s are a great improvement to the many coneflowers that are already on the market.

©Ken Wilson &Gardening Whisperer 2014