Echinacea purpurea

‘Mellow Limes’

MELLOW LIMES CONEFLOWERS

Echinacea purpurea ‘Mellow Limes’
MELLOW LIMES CONEFLOWERS 

Echinacea purpurea ‘Mellow Limes’ are elegant and unusual in the garden.
Plus they make fabulous cut flowers.

Rays of petals in soft greens and creamy limes  

With fine rays of petals in a range of soft green shades, from pure apple greens, through creamy greens, to lime citrus shades.
So the common name of ‘Mellow Limes Coneflowers’ is the perfect description.

Fragrant flowers

Echinacea are usually scentless, but not ‘Mellow Limes’, instead their flowers are sweetly fragrant as a result of modern cross breeding.
So by crossing Echinacea purpurea with the fragrant Echinacea paradoxa – breeders have created gently and sweetly fragrant flowers, as well as beautiful new colours.

Showy green-copper cones

Lovely rays of green petals ring around showy green-copper central cones, with the cones lasting long after the flowers are finished.
Hence the cones are very decorative in their own right, either left on the plant to make a show long after the petals have dropped. Or popular when harvested and dried for floral work.
So gardeners often leave the cones to stand through winter.
Providing both visual structure in the garden over the cold months, welcome feed for small native seed eating birds such as Finches, and great winter material for floral artists.

Compact grower for small garden & pots

Plants of ‘Mellow Limes’ are compact and neat growing, making them very popular for small garden spaces, or as a feature in a pot – especially as they are such long bloomers, with scent too.

Prolific & long bloomer

‘Mellow Limes’ are prolific and particularly long bloomers, giving a procession of flowers through the warm months of summer until late in autumn.
Blooms come on well branched stems, and these strong stems do not need any staking.
Plus the weather-resistant flowers last well in the garden, as well as in a vase for floristry.

Excellent cut flowers for floristry

Plants of Echinacea purpurea ‘Mellow Limes’ make excellent florist’s cut flowers, to use either fresh or dried.

Flower farmers dream

Blooms are also easy to harvest and arrange – with strong, clean stems, and an excellent vase life.
While the cones are delightful in arrangements, either used fresh or dried – as they are everlasting when dried.
‘Mellow Limes’ are a perfect dream for floral artists and flower farmers.

Easy unfussy growers

Hardy Echinacea purpurea ‘Mellow Limes’ enjoy Full Sun to Light Shade, and are very unfussy, low maintenance plants to grow.
Because these new garden hybrids have inherited the hardiness of both wild parents.
S0 ‘Mellow Limes’ grow happily in just about any well drained soil.
And enjoy full sun to a little shade for part of the day.

Water-wise plants

Once established, Echinacea purpurea ‘Mellow Limes’ are water-wise plants that need minimal extra watering, and can survive dry spells well.

Winter frost & summer humidity tolerant

They are robustly frost hardy in winter, but can also tolerate humidity in the air during summer.

Rabbits, pests & diseases steer clear

Pests or diseases rarely if ever trouble Echinacea.
And even rabbits and deer tend to leave them way down on their menu card.

Bees & butterflies adore

While bees and butterflies cannot get enough of the nectar rich cones, especially as they bloom in autumn when other flowers can be scarce.
Then in winter (if you leave the cones on to dry on the plant) – small seed eating birds such as Finches are in for the feast.

Long lived perennial clump

Echinacea purpurea ‘Mellow Limes’ make elegant plants approx. 80cm. high in flower x a 45cm. wide, neat, low clump of foliage.
The plants live for many years, and just keep on giving each year.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY
Suits beginners & gardening with kids

Sow seeds of Echinacea purpurea ‘Mellow Limes’ at any time of year in a punnet indoors, whenever suitable temperatures can be provided (20-24°C).
OR
Scatter the seed in the garden during late winter & spring; or late summer & autumn.

Indoors for quick plants & early flowers: First sow the seeds in a punnet on surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then pat gently to ensure good contact with the mix.
Light is needed for germination with these seeds, so only just barely sprinkle the seeds with sieved mix.

Now thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath.
And allowing the moisture to percolate to the surface of the mix from below.

Then stand the punnet in a warm, well-lit position (not in any direct sunlight)
And continue to keep moist by regularly misting with a spray water bottle.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic lid or plastic bag will also help to maintain the necessary consistent, even moisture.

Temperatures of 20-24°C approx. are ideal for rapid and optimum germination.

Germination may start in just 5 days and may take up to 20 days.

Flowers in the first year from seed

And as Echinacea will flower in 11 to 15 weeks from sowing – so flowers are possible in the first year grown from seed.

Prick out the seedlings as soon as they develop their first set of true leaves.
And transplant into pots to grow on ready for planting out in the garden.

Seed Count: 5 seeds per pack approx. This is a scarce new release seed.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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