Echinacea ‘Summer Cocktail’

Description: This little gem gives the impression of two different flowers on one plant. The large daisy like flowers emerge a soft pale yellow darkening to soft dusty pink as they mature leaving a beautiful mix of colour on one plant all summer long. This Echinacea is a clump-forming perennial with compact and upright habit. The scented flowers also attract birds and butterflies to the garden in late summer.  In autumn the attractive seed heads give additional interest and they last through the winter and also further attract feeding birds.

Uses: Great for mixed borders and also containers.  Especially useful in a mixed border of hot colours with reds, oranges and yellows. Echniacea are also excellent when used in the prairie style of garden planted with grasses and giving log lasting late summer and autumn interest.  Also good as a cut flower.

Climate / Position: Sunny position.

Height / Spread: Height 60cm. Spread 45cm.

Soil Requirements: Well drained soil.

Pruning: Cut back stems after flowering to encourage further flower production. Alternatively, leave all the seedheads for long lasting autumn and winter interest.

Special Requirements: Plants can be lifted and divided after a number of years.

Additional Interest: The name "Echinos" means hedgehog in Greek, and related to the bristly cones which remain through the winter, Echinacea have more recently become widely know in herbal remedies against colds. Many new introductions of Echinacea are now available as there has been a range of breeding programmes.  This is a new introduction from Marco van Noort in Holland in 2010.