But, wait. What’s that? You’re looking for more variety? Blossoms bursting forth in all colors of the rainbow? Well, if you’re a coneflower fan, you’ve come to the right place. Though pinkish-purple may be the standard, echinacea flowers are actually available in a striking variety of hues, from white, yellow, and pale peach to vibrant orange, pink, and red. You can even find a green variety, if that’s your thing. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. To make the search for the perfect cultivars to plant in your garden a little easier, I’ve gathered 17 of my favorite varieties of Echinacea purpurea, in just about every hue available. These also run the gamut in terms of height at maturity, bloom type (with both single and double-blossomed varieties), and selections suited to container growing as well as planting in the ground. Get out your gardening journal and start dreaming. Let’s take a look at some of the best types of echinacea to plant in the garden. Are they bold and intimidating, as their name would suggest? I’m not convinced. Fortunately, the pollinators aren’t scared off either – beneficial insects who visit your garden will love these!
‘Bravado’ Suited to USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8, plants are shrub-like and bushy, with a mature height of 36-48 inches and a spread of 18-24 inches. Seeds are available from True Leaf Market.
2. Butterfly Kisses
Are you a fan of butterfly kisses, those soft caresses of a lover’s eyelashes on your cheek? I know – I am, too. The closeness that’s required to achieve these is what makes them so intimate – even the long-lashed among us (myself included) might pause for just a second before swooping in to give our sweetie one of these special, delicate smooches. When human-to-human butterfly kisses aren’t available, these flowers might be the next best thing. And they’re sure to attract a bevy of real butterflies to the garden. From the CONE-FECTIONS™ series, this cultivar has a compact habit, with a mature height of 16-18 inches and a spread of 14-16 inches. If you’re a small space gardener, these will fit nicely, and they’re suited to growing in containers.
‘Butterfly Kisses’ With bright pink double centers of short petals surrounded by lighter pink rays, these fragrant flowers are about three inches in diameter. Bred by Arie Blom, a renowned hybridizer in the Netherlands, this cultivar is suited to Zones 4-8. Expect blooms in summer through fall. Plants are available from Burpee.
3. Doubledecker
There’s nothing wrong with red, but I wish those double-decker buses that I’ve ridden on many visits to London (almost always rushing to the top to grab a seat with a view) had a paint job like these babies. Rose-colored blooms will fill your garden through the summer and into early autumn if you choose the ‘Doubledecker’ cultivar. But that’s not all – unlike the other blooms featured here, this type has an exceptionally unique two-tiered appearance, with reflexed and deeply curved petals that point downwards at the bottom of each blossom, dark brown cones in the center, and shorter petals on top that reach towards the sky.
‘Doubledecker’ This variety is best suited to Zones 3-9, and you can expect mature heights of 24-36 inches with a spread of 24-30 inches. Don’t be alarmed if your plants only produce single blooms in the first year – this isn’t unusual. With a little patience, you should be rewarded with double-decker flowers in the second year and beyond. Bare roots are available from Eden Brothers.
4. Double Scoop
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? Or maybe you’re more in the mood for sherbet, or sorbet? Water ice, perhaps? Whether you’re craving a double scoop of bubble gum, raspberry, orangeberry, or mandarin, this cultivar does not disappoint. Available in bright hues of pink, deep rose, and orange, you can take your pick, or mix and match for an explosion of color with coneflowers from the Double Scoop™ series.
Double Scoop™ ‘Bubble Gum’ Best grown in Zones 4-9, expect a mature height of 20-26 inches and a spread of 16-22 inches, with some slight variation depending on the color selected. Flowers have an extended bloom period from late spring through early fall, and they shouldn’t require staking.
Double Scoop™ ‘Orangeberry’ And unlike your favorite frozen treats, these flowers are heat tolerant. The double-blossomed beauties feature central cushions of short petals surrounded by flared rays. ‘Bubble Gum’ is deep pink in the center with pastel pink surrounding rays, ‘Raspberry’ features an intense rose hue, ‘Orangeberry’ is bright orange-red, and ‘Mandarin’ features deep orange blooms. Plants are available from Burpee in pink, raspberry, orange-red, or deep orange.
5. Green Jewel
It’s not jade or peridot, but a different kind of jewel, of the floral variety. This green beauty has a pale, pastel hue that’s unusual among flowers. Light green single petals surround dark green centers, and the fragrant blooms make a striking addition to cut flower arrangements. Best suited to Zones 3-9, ‘Green Jewel’ blooms in summer through first frost, with a mature height of 24-36 inches and a spread of 12-24 inches.
‘Green Jewel’ And if you’re a green flower lover searching for even more options to add to your garden, check out this article for more of our favorite types. Bare roots ready for planting are available in packs of two, four, or 10 from Eden Brothers Nursery.
6. Hot Papaya
Papaya lovers will rejoice when they see the bright color of these blooms. From the CONE-FECTIONS™ series bred by Arie Blom, this hot orange option is perfect for summer. In fact, it was the first double orange option available on the market.
‘Hot Papaya’ Best grown in Zones 4-9, plants reach a mature height of 30-36 inches with a spread of 24-30 inches. Plants are available from Burpee.
7. Magnus
With pinky-purple curved petals and orange centers, this type has the classic shuttlecock shape (badminton, anyone?), and jumbo dimensions. ‘Magnus’ is an award-winning cultivar with extra-large six-inch blooms. I’m reminded of a nature documentary that I watched recently, in which the largest and most aggressive grizzly bear was named Magnus – I imagine him collecting a bouquet of these for his mate, before asking them to join him in a meal of fresh-caught salmon.
‘Magnus’ With a mature height of 36 inches and a spread of 15-18 inches, this type makes a stunning addition to the backs of borders or a beautiful focal point in arrangements. ‘Magnus’ grows best in Zones 3-10. Seeds are available from True Leaf Market.
8. Marmalade
Hey, Joe – you wanna give it a go? Whether you’re in the mood for toast slathered with sweet and tangy citrus preserves, fondly remembering your favorite orange-hued cat, or dreaming about Lady Marmalade in sweet reverie of a significantly racier variety, ‘Marmalade’ will not disappoint, and serves as a fitting tribute. She can be all things, to all gardeners.
‘Marmalade’ All dressed up with semi-double, large and bright red-orange flowers on top with yellow-orange petals beneath and brown tufted centers, this cultivar is sure to be a standout in your garden. Best suited to growing in Zones 5-9, expect a height of 24-30 inches with an equal spread. Plants are available from Burpee.
9. Marry Me
If you dream of a flowerbed filled with wedding-dress white blooms that are attractive to pollinators, pick ‘Marry Me.’ Excellent for enjoying outdoors or cutting and adding to arrangements, this type has a mature height of 18-24 inches with a 12 to 18-inch spread.
‘Marry Me’ Flowers reach about 3 1/2 inches in diameter, with yellow central cones. Can you imagine a country-style wedding bouquet filled with these? Perfection! ‘Marry Me’ grows best in gardens in Zones 3-8. Seeds in packets of 50 or four-packs of live plants ready for planting are available from Burpee.
10. Pink Double Delight
Pretty in pink? Absolutely! With a branching habit and sturdy stems, this compact cultivar reaches a height of 24-28 inches, with a spread of 18-24 inches.
‘Pink Double Delight’ Suited to Zones 5-9, these hot pink double flowers feature large pompom tops with pale pink and orange centers. Gorgeous! Plants are available from Burpee.
11. Pink Shimmer
Another pink cultivar, and this one is nothing short of luminous. In fact, that’s how ‘Pink Shimmer’ is often described, and she isn’t shy about it. This stunning variety is hot pink verging on rose, with large three to five-inch single blooms that have a full, rounded shape and yellow-orange centers.
‘Pink Shimmer’ The tall plants reach a height of 36 inches with a spread of 16 inches, so they’re excellent for the backs of borders. Plant in Zones 5-9 for best results. Bare roots are available from Burpee.
12. Playful Meadow Mama
Ready for a romp in the meadow? No, I’m not talking about World Naked Gardening Day (for once). Take a look at this beauty:
‘Playful Meadow Mama’ Probably one of the most unique cultivars I have ever seen, ‘Playful Meadow Mama’ boasts pink petals that are tapered to a point at the ends and tipped in white. The multi-layered petals surround reddish centers. These will grow nicely in Zones 5-9, with a mature height of 20-24 inches and a spread of 18-24 inches. Expect blooms throughout the summer. Plants in four-inch pots are available from Burpee.
13. Primadonna Deep Rose
This lovely cultivar has large, full, double-petaled flowers and central cones tipped with a touch of gold. With a clumping habit, height of 30-36 inches, and spread of 18-24 inches, ‘Primadonna Deep Rose’ has sturdy stems that don’t require staking. For best results, plant her in Zones 4-9.
‘Primadonna Deep Rose’ With only the best qualities of a classic primadonna, she’s sure to sing in the garden beds, with little need to fuss over her. Plants are available from Burpee.
14. Solar Flare
Another unique standout in the garden, this ‘Solar Flare’ won’t make your electronics act up (no need to reset those GPS satellites), but she’s sure to attract attention. Large, fragrant magenta-red flowers with dark central cones grow on nearly black stems, providing gorgeous contrast against the green-leafed plants in your garden.
‘Solar Flare’ Best in Zones 4-8, this type has a mature height of 24-36 inches and a spread of 18-24 inches. Plants are available from Burpee.
15. Sombrero
Imagine a summertime fiesta, with delicious food spread out on the patio table and guests dressed in vibrant colors, with their dancing shoes firmly laced and buckled, ready to celebrate. What could be a better backdrop to this party than a swath of land filled with vibrantly hued coneflowers, dancing in the breeze?
Sombrero® ‘Baja Burgundy’ The Sombrero® series is just the ticket. Available in bold shades of burgundy, red, orange-red, pumpkin orange, coral pink, and yellow, these coneflowers have large single blooms and brown, copper, or bronze central cones.
Sombrero® ‘Lemon Yellow’ With a branching habit and sturdy stems, these long-stemmed flowers are also lovely in arrangements. Expect a mature height of 18-26 inches and a spread of 18-24 inches. This type does best in Zones 4-9. Plants in ‘Baja Burgundy,’ ‘Salsa Red,’ ‘Flamenco Orange,’ ‘Adobe Orange,’ ‘Hot Coral,’ and ‘Lemon Yellow’ are available from Burpee.
16. Warm Summer
Can’t choose just one? Enjoy beautiful coneflowers all summer long and into the fall with this ‘Warm Summer’ mix. Cream, yellow, orange, scarlet, rose, and purple flowers will fill your garden with a kaleidoscope of delight – and the pollinators won’t be able to resist.
‘Warm Summer’ Plants reach a height of 26-30 inches with a spread of 16-18 inches, and this variety does best in Zones 4-9. Seeds and plants are available from Burpee.
17. White Swan
Who doesn’t love the sight of a pair of swans with their elegant long necks, pausing so as not to startle them while you gaze upon their ballet-like movements as they glide across a pond? What’s that? You don’t have your own private swan-filled water feature? Sadly, neither do I. For now, I guess we’ll have to settle for this beautiful cultivar of E. purpurea alba instead.
‘White Swan’ With large white blooms that can reach up to four inches across and a max height of 30 inches, ‘White Swan’ is suited to Zones 4-8. Want to fill an entire sunny meadow with these? Eden Brothers Nursery even has 1-pound sacks available – that’s about 362,874 coneflower seeds, in case you were wondering. Seeds in a variety of package sizes are available from Eden Brothers.
Fill Your Garden with Colorful Coneflowers
Now that you know just how many fantastic echinacea cultivars are out there (and there are more where these came from!) will you be able to stop at just one?
Whether you’re growing in a small space with pots on the patio or you have sunshine-filled acres to plant with blooming perennials to your heart’s content, the coneflower is a reliable bloomer that the beneficial insects will adore. What’s your favorite type? Let us know in the comments below! And for even more colorful blooms to add to the garden beds, read these roundups next:
11 Native Blue Wildflowers for the Garden 19 of the Best Summer Flowering Clematis for Your Garden 13 Hardy Yarrow Cultivars to Turn Barren Spaces into Beautiful Areas of the Garden
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