Echinacea paradoxa var. paradoxa

YELLOW RIBBON CONEFLOWER

Echinacea paradoxa var. paradoxa
YELLOW RIBBON CONEFLOWER 

Long ribbons of sunshine yellow, swirl around mahogany-copper cones on elegant Echinacea paradoxa var. paradoxa (so good they named it twice).
And the common name of yellow Ribbon Coneflower describes the interesting flowers so well.

The paradox is that Echinacea flowers are usually rose-pink or purple, but this beauty is a glorious, clear, sunshine yellow.
And it is fragrant, which again is unusual for Echinacea.

Both qualities that have made it invaluable in modern breeding programmes, aimed to enhance the colours and fragrance in the Echinacea family.
And although these new fancy Echinacea forms have taken the gardening world by storm, it is hard to beat the elegance of original Echinacea paradoxa var. paradoxa.

It is an early bloomer beginning in late spring, earlier than other Echinacea. Blooms then continue to come on well branched stems.
And these strong stems do not need any staking.

Echinacea peradoxa var. paradoxa gives excellent cut flowers, to use either fresh or dried.
The cones are also decorative on the plant long after the petals have dropped.
So gardeners often leave the cones to stand in the garden through winter, providing both visual structure, and feed for small native seed eating birds such as Finches.

This hardy native of the North American prairies enjoys Full Sun to Light Shade.
Echinacea paradoxa var. paradoxa is a very unfussy, low maintenance plant.
S0 she grows happily in just about any well drained soil.

Once established it is a water-wise plant, that needs only minimal extra watering, and can survive dry spells well.
It is robustly frost hardy, but can also tolerate humidity in the air.
Pests or diseases rarely if ever trouble Echinacea.
And even rabbits and deer tend to leave it way down on their menu card.

Elegant 90cm H x 45cm neat foliage clump.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Sow at any time of year in punnets indoors / or scatter in garden late winter & spring or late summer & autumn.

INDOORS: Sow in punnets on surface of good quality seed raising mix, moistened through.
Press gently. Light is needed for germination, so only barely cover.

Keep moist. 20-24°C approx. optimum for rapid germination.

Germination may start after just 5 days and may take up to 20 days.
Echinacea will flower in 11 to 15 weeks from sowing so Flowers are possible in the first year.

Prick out seedlings once large enough to handle into 7.5cm pots to grow on before planting out in spring in well drained soil.

SEED COUNT: 15 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count and give a generous serve).

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