the scoop.
‘Becky’ has extra-stiff, 30″–36″ stems that are smothered in large flowers, week after week.
Coneflower (Echinacea)
Coneflower pallida
Coneflower paradoxa
Coneflower ‘Cheyenne Spirit’
There are noteworthy coneflowers and there are those that never should have been released to the market. I can’t count the number of times I’ve talked myself into paying a small fortune for a dazzling new coneflower that totally disappeared the next year. I guess that’s better than making a rude gesture (a single dead stalk sticking in the air). So what’s the deal? Well, for starters, it is usually safer to plant a “straight” species coneflower such as purpurea, tennesseensis, pallida and paradoxa. The challenge is it’s harder to find these, with nurseries filling garden shelves with the newest hybridized fandangos. Thankfully, many garden centers now have dedicated sections for natives. This is where you will typically find these coneflowers.
I’m not suggesting all new cultivars are destined for the compost pile. There are some that are highly praised by green industry professionals for their longevity, strong branching habit and good repeat bloom. A few winners from plant trials include ‘Cheyenne Spirit’, ‘Pica Bella’, ‘Fatal Attraction’ and ‘Leilani’. I highly recommend that you check out trial evaluations conducted in your own region. Coneflowers that do great in the Rockies may perform differently than those in the mid-Atlantic. Three trial evaluation sites to check are Colorado State University (https://source.colostate.edu/?s=plant+trial+gardens); Chicago Botanic Gardens (chicagobotanic.org/research/ornamental_plant_research) and Mt. Cuba Center (mtcubacenter.org/research). Mt. Cuba, a botanical garden dedicated to native plants in Northern Delaware, did a study of 48 different coneflowers in 2007-2008 (this is published on their website) and will be launching a new trial in 2018.
A few final remarks about coneflowers – which I do love, really! To thrive, they need full sun and well-drained soil. I find that sparing the fertilizer (organic, of course) produces stronger-stemmed, non-floppy plants. Many green industry professionals recommend removing flowers from newly planted cultivars so the plant’s energy is redirected to promote strong root development, rather than to flowers. Some argue that plants should be preened of flowers the entire first season, others suggest only for the first three or four weeks. And if you resent removing the flowers because you think that it’s unfair to pollinators, the truth is that many cultivars with unusual flower colors and shapes aren’t high, if at all, on pollinators’ visitation list.
Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Coral Bell ‘Cajun Fire’
Coral Bell ‘Spellbound’
Coral Bell ‘Sugar Berry’
It seems ages ago when coral bells were primarily admired for their flowers, and leaves were a second thought. Then ‘Palace Purple’ was named the 1991 Perennial of the Year and the race was on for exotic foliage colors. Similar to the coneflower craze, the cry for the newest and flashiest plants was echoed by consumers, as well as by income-driven growers. Many good plants were introduced as a result, and some real duds.
It’s fair to say that most coral bells look irresistible as first-year plants on nursery shelves. Sadly, their true colors don’t show until the second or third year when genetics start telling the real story.
In addition to genetic makeup, the species of coral bells (there are over 80) can play a big part in how it will perform in your garden. Eastern species, like villosa and americana, accept heat and humidity much better than Western ones. And those with micrantha in their “blood” are generally not as cold tolerant.
One way to eliminate trial and error and save yourself frustration and money is to check out Heuchera trial evaluations for your climate and zone. For example, Mt. Cuba Center (in Hockessin, DE) conducted a trial on 83 different cultivars in two species, villosa and americana, from 2012-2014. The top ten performers were ‘Citronelle’, ‘Bronze Wave’, ‘Cajun Fire’, ‘Color Dream’, ‘Steel City’, ‘Caramel’, ‘Apple Crisp’, ‘Frosted Violet’, ‘Southern Comfort’ and ‘Spellbound’. Chicago Botanic Garden and Colorado State University have also conducted and published studies.
Gardeners also play a part in a coral bells’ destiny. They require good drainage and air circulation; they hate wet soil – they’re not water plants or fire hydrants. In colder climates, do not plant coral bells where snow crashes off a sloping roof or piles up from snow blowers and plows. Large piles are slow to melt in spring, keeping the soil cold and wet for much longer (which is bad as well for any perennial that demands sharp drainage). Gardeners also need to watch for heaving plants in spring. As coral bells age, their crowns are prone to rising above the soil surface, exposing roots – especially common in colder climates where soil freezes and thaws. Gently press these insurgents back down into the ground.
BIENNIALS
The rich purple domes of Angelica gigas partner nicely with light pink Japanese Anemone
Biennials can be maddening for some gardeners: they are experts at hide and seek. To appreciate biennials you need to know their modus operandi. Simply put, in the first year they only produce foliage, in the second year flowers appear, and by the third year the party is over. The plant is dead. BUT…there should be (did you catch the italics?) little seedlings scattered about the garden for you to find. As they mature, this will count as year one and the story continues. Some biennials are rapid reseeders, like forget-me-nots. Others, not so much, like Angelica gigas.
Some commonly sold biennials include foxglove (Digitalis), hollyhock (Alcea rosea), wallflower (Cheiranthus), dame’s rocket (Hesperis), sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) and Canterbury bells (Campanula medium). And to make matters more confusing, some short-lived perennials are grouped with biennials. These include columbine (Aquilegia), Iceland poppy (Papaver nudicale), Miss Willmott’s ghost (Eryngium giganteum), gloriosa daisy (Rudbeckia hirta), English button daisy (Bellis perennis), rose campion (Lychnis coronaria) and lupine.
Gloriosa Daisy
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