Echinacea 'Eccentric'

'Eccentric' makes for a bewildering display--from the reflexing purple petals of the just-opening bud to the exploding red-orange puffball of the mature bloom, they are all so beautiful, you won't know where to look! Quite an eccentric look, indeed!

This UK-bred Echinacea purpurea hybrid is proving exceptionally hardy and healthy in the US, resisting heat, drought, and disease even better than the already-healthy US cultivars. 'Eccentric' is incredibly robust and resilient--just plant it in full sun, water it until it gets established, and it will do the rest!

And the blooms are exceptional! 'Eccentric' is the most brilliant double coneflower on the market, being the deepest red and the only double that dramatically changes color as the flowers mature. The flowers bloom perpetually from June to August, often having young and old flowers growing side by side. And the centers of this double Echinacea are not just spikey masses--they also change as they mature, opening up in their own flowery red-orange display.

The shifting color-show and flowery centers of 'Eccentric' are very attractive to bees and butterflies. Expect 'Eccentric' to grow about 24 inches tall and almost as wide. It works well in a large container or in a sunny garden, and looks especially good in the middle of a border.

But Echinacea has long been valued for more than its decorative qualities. Echinacea was used by Native Americans of the Great Plains as a remedy for everything from cold and flue to rattlesnake bites! A doctor in the 19th century proposed it as a surefire snakebite cure, while more recently it has even been cited as a way to prevent cancer! While we don't recommend staking your life on the power of Echinacea, it is a great natural way to boost your immune system and help keep colds and flus at bay. If you are an amateur herbalist, this versatile natural remedy is a must-have for your garden and kit!

'Eccentric' likes average moisture, and becomes quite heat- and drought-tolerant once established (and pest and disease tolerant, and rain and wind tolerant--really, it's just hard to kill this little fighter). Its firey color makes it a dramatic addition to a hot-themed or prairie-style garden. Plant 'Eccentric' fearlessly among other Echinacea, as well as among other heat- and drought-tolerant perennials in the sunny garden. Be sure to grow a few extra in the cutting garden as well, to show off the majesty of these flowers indoors as well as out! Zones 4-9.