26 Stunning Varieties Of Coneflower You Could Be Growing In Your Garden

Growing coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) is the easiest way to make your summer gardens pop. Give them six hours of sunlight coupled with well-draining soils, and they'll graciously bloom their heads off, come drought or heat. However, you don't have to limit yourself to the classic purple or pink hues common to most native coneflower species (like purple coneflower). Instead, deep dive into the new horticultural introductions: cultivars and hybrids, which, aside from having different forms and habits, are available in manifold shades of orange, gold, white, and green.

Before making your nursery trip, take stock of your goals. If you're looking to start a pollinator garden, planting to improve biodiversity, or itching to attract goldfinches, favor single-flower varieties over their ruffled or pom-pom double-flower brethren. That's because when a coneflower has more petals, it denies pollinators a conducive landing pad and a heady supply of pollen and nectar. They rarely set seeds, making the retention of dead flower stalks redundant. But if the objective is to transform your garden into a statement maker (and upstage your neighbors), grow any of the below-mentioned coneflower varieties.

Look no further than 'Pica Bella' coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Pica Bella') if you want your yard buzzing with the breathless delight of pollinators. From June through July, 'Pica Bella' blooms saturated pink, daisy-esque single flowers, perfuming the landscape and drawing the attention of butterflies and bees. Goldfinches and other birds gravitate to the brown-toned, orange cones, centering their pink rays for seeds. 'Pica Bella' averages 32 inches in height and is best massed — even better if alongside rudbeckias — in borders or garden beds. It prefers full sun exposure but is receptive to the partial shading of woodland gardens.

Hybridized by Netherlands-based AB Cultivars, 'Postman' (Echinacea 'POST301') is a vigorous, coneflower nativar marketed under the "Butterfly" series. It grows nearly 3 feet tall and is favored by butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Gardeners will like it for the colors it renders during summer. It buds out 4 ½-inch wide yellow flowers that eventually transmute into crimson reds. By the end of July, they appear as glistening pinks. Postman coneflowers bloom so abundantly that they tend to flop under their own weight, necessitating staking. Pinching off dead blooms regularly can help balance their weight while inducing second flushes.

If space is premium in your yard or you're limited to growing in containers, consider growing 'Sensation Pink' coneflower (Echinacea 'Sensation Pink'). It has a compact habit, staying under 18 inches at maturity, albeit extending slightly wider. Hummingbirds and butterflies enjoy their profuse display of neon pink-to-coral flowers toward summer's end. In case you don't cut the flowers for your indoor arrangements, they may age into pale lavender shades and set bird-attracting seeds. 'Sensation Pink' is cold hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8 and displays decent resistance to drought and humidity.

Want a summer show that would give the sun a run for its color? Consider 'Mellow Yellows' coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Mellow Yellows'). They start by unfurling their florets in shades reminiscent of mango skins, successively adopting hues that move between buttery and canary yellows. Pollinators land on their greenish-yellow cones while birds stake them for seeds. They mature to a 2½-foot physique and can be used to define walkways, paths, and borders, resisting deer and rabbit pressure. Alternatively, they can be planted in containers for a pop of color. Give them full-to-part sun.

TERRA NOVA Nursery's Kismet 'Raspberry' (Echinacea 'TNECHKR' Kismet Raspberry) promises a long blooming season, lasting from summer through frost. It's a dwarf cultivar, measuring 3 feet tall and just as wide. It blooms highly vibrant, raspberry-pink petals, inviting in a horde of butterflies. Removing the faded blooms encourages reblooming. However, leave a few spent blooms to facilitate seed production, assuring birds of winter food. Plant in drifts, as border fronts, garden edging, or containers. Pop in sunny sites, though they'll adapt to lightly shaded coarse dirt. Watch for eriophyid mites and aster yellows.

'Spider' coneflower (Echinacea PRIMA 'Spider') has been recently introduced under TERRA NOVA Nursery's PRIMA series. It differentiates itself from most other coneflowers by blooming two-toned flowers. In early June, these coneflowers display salmon pink shades. But as their petals turn upwards, like a spider, they progressively grow violet-mottled magenta right up to frost. PRIMA 'Spider' coneflowers are popular with pollinators but not with deer. They're at home in the sunniest yards of zones 4 through 9. Keep your eyes peeled for common pests that are after your coneflower, like mites, thrips, and aphids.

Snow cone coneflower (Echinacea 'Snow Cone') traces its heritage to the long-lived, eastern coneflower species (Echinacea tennesseensis) and shares its penchant for returning every year. It was hybridized by Intrinsic Perennial Gardens for superior cold hardiness, which is why it survives even in the winters of zone 3. Snowcone coneflowers add a dash of winter to summers by exploding in white florets that center chartreuse cones. It is one of the best plants to grow in shallow soil; clay textures work, too. Plonk their 2 ½-foot frame in front of borders to attract butterflies without risking herbivory.

Can't figure out the color scheme for your garden bed? Pick 2013's All American Selection (AAS) flower winner, aka 'Cheyenne Spirit' coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea 'Cheyenne Spirit'). They aren't limited to a single color. Instead, they concurrently bloom in sunset shades of orange, gold, red, pink, and purple with carefree abandon. They're also easy to maintain, with little utility for deadheading or staking, come rain or gale. Since they aren't huge on watering, they're ideal in water-wise or drought-stressed landscapes. They serve as larval hosts for checkerspot butterflies, so be prepared for some foliage damage.

'Glowing Dream' (Echinacea 'Glowing Dream') is another coneflower variety that appeals to hummingbirds and pollinators. It's an intermix of several straight native species, including purpurea, tennesseensis, and paradoxa. It was bred by TERRA NOVA for a put-together, compact growth habit. Its nearly 2-foot mound is topped for a continuous six weeks by watermelon-pink to coral-colored rays that envelop chestnut brown cones. Best performance occurs in full sun conditions paired with well-draining soils. However, it'll make do with partial shade and poor fertility levels. Deadheading keeps the plant tidy while facilitating reblooming–cold hardy from zones 4 to 9.

'Vintage Wine' purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Vintage Wine') stands out because its petals hold their weight straight rather than drooping down. However, that could be due to the red-purple ray florets being disproportionately short vis-à-vis the large 4-inch wide red-speckled cones. Its perfumed, single blooms draw in butterflies mid-summer when 'Vintage Wine' is at its peak growth. Birds may come for the seeds if the spent blooms are left to dry. It stands nearly 3 feet tall and slightly less wide in full sun sites of zones 3 through 8.

True to its name, 'Fragrant Angel' (Echinacea purpurea 'Fragrant Angel') will imbue your spring landscape with a sweet fragrance. It's what you would expect from a classic daisy flower: yellow cones flanked by porcelain-white petals, though it's got double rows. Unlike the shuttlecock turn associated with most coneflowers, its florets lay flat, giving 'Fragrant Angel' a plentiful look. Mt. Cuba Center's 2018-20 trials found that butterflies are especially taken by this coneflower variety. It blooms in waves right through frost and is a reliable returner. Japanese beetles, aster yellow, and leaf spot may pose problems.

'Tomato Soup' coneflowers (Echinacea 'Tomato Soup') are the prettiest red flowers to exist on an echinacea's yellow-green mound. Naturally, they need full sun exposure to display their tomato soup-ish redness. But if that's hard to find, tuck them in partially shaded sites. Since they've been interbred from 'Ruby Giant' purple coneflower and yellow coneflowers, 'Tomato Soup' coneflowers, too, showcase decent tolerance for poor, dry, and rocky soils. They sail through summer's drought, heat, and humidity without tempting deer browsing. They grow over 3 feet tall but won't require staking.

Monrovia's Evolution series promises a long blooming season for coneflowers, which starts during spring's end and lasts through the fall. Besides, they're troopers against drought and deer. Fiesta coneflower (Echinacea hybrid 'Balevoesta') is a standout for prairie or cottage gardens where its coral-pink flowers provide a spectacular foil for wild, native grasses. It grows no wider (or taller) than 18 inches, making it suitable for foundation or staggered perennial beds. Give it fertile, well-draining soils and six hours of direct sunlight at the minimum. Birds may like its dried seeds for winter food.

Having scored 4.46 (out of 5) in PennState's flower trials, TERRA NOVA's Fresco Apricot coneflower (Echinacea 'Apricot') is an unmissable coneflower variety. From June to October, it produces several flushes of frilly, orange-apricot flowers reminiscent of zinnias. As the herbaceous perennial has a narrow habit, with its foliage measuring 20 inches across, it's best nestled between ornamental grasses or in mixed borders for a color accent. 'Apricot' returns reliably year after year but separates its clumps every couple of years to prevent overcrowding and maintain a tidy appearance. It's bee- and butterfly-friendly but repels deer.

'Purple Emperor' coneflower (Echinacea 'Purple Emperor') is another variety from AB-Cultivar's Butterfly series. While its flowers aren't strictly purple, they look splendid, with their magenta-pink petals fading outwards into pastel pinks as they skirt around brown cones. They're highly fragrant and entice scores of bees and butterflies. They're compact, under 18 inches tall and wide, and make for gorgeous container fillers. In zones 4 through 8 gardens, they'll need a minimum of four hours of sun exposure in well-draining soils. They can tolerate drought stress after the first year of establishment.

Get PanAmerican Seed's 'PowWow White' coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'PowWow White') if you're looking to start your seed-starting journey. After 20 weeks from sowing (usually around late spring), it bursts out yellow cones hugged by imbricated white petals — in the first year. This stunning display sputters into fall, enamoring pollinators. While removing the faded blooms is not necessary, doing so keeps the plant orderly. However, to attract goldfinches and ensure the plant returns on its accord, allow it to go to seed (and subsequently self-sow).

'Green Envy,' a cultivar of purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), is sure to surprise its growers and onlookers. It welcomes the summer flowering season with minty green spoon-shaped petals surrounding similarly green cones. However, as the heat amps up, the petals develop pink flushes, save for their tips, while their cones become purple-mottled. For it to hold sway over hummingbirds and butterflies, offer it full sun exposure to help it produce its best blooms. Pop it in gardens with informal themes, such as cottage, prairie, or wildflower, where its 2-foot-wide girth can be appreciated.

Want your garden to echo your love for lemon cream pie? Pick 'Meringue' (Echinacea purpurea 'Meringue') as it explodes in cream-yellow pom poms around mid-summer, evoking pie meringues. While its stark white double petal rows appear quite becoming atop their dark green foliage, they aren't much help to pollinators. That's because the additional petals are bred into the cultivar by patching out nectar and seeds. In other words, avoid growing 'Meringue' if you're interested in attracting butterflies. Otherwise, pop the dwarf cultivar (matures to around 20 inches) in patio containers or sunny perennial borders for a fall-lasting bonanza.

Darwin Perennials' coneflower variety 'Sombrero Rosada' (Echinacea purpurea 'Sombrero Rosada') is a 7-inch tall and 14-inch wide coneflower variety that's known to overwinter successfully up to zone 4. It produces mildly aromatic, rose-red petals atop purple stems, charming butterflies, and hummingbirds from June through October. Although its green leaves are deeply serrated and may lose their sheen in peak summer, they successfully resist rabbit and deer browsing. As they tolerate both drought and poor fertility, they're considered low maintenance, surviving despite the neglect. Leave spent blooms for birds to enjoy the seeds and lend your garden some architectural interest.

Another coneflower variety that sacrifices pollinator value for beauty is 'Hot Papaya' from AB-Cultivars Con-fections series. Like 'Meringue,' it produces double flowers that leave little space for nectar or pollen. However, it's ornamental with its green foliage and burgundy stems supporting anemone-esque flowers. Surprisingly, neither their papaya-shaded centers nor the reddish-orange florets lose their color in the summer heat. They're also profuse bloomers, sometimes extending their show to autumn. When given part-to-full sun, they touch nearly 3 feet. Give them a go if you love decking your home in floral arrangements, as their blooms last a long while.

Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) is a straight coneflower species endemic to the North American continent. While it's often mistaken for the closely related purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) variety, it jumpstarts its doppelganger's pink-purple blooms by three weeks. So, successively planting both species (or their cultivars) is a great idea, particularly if benefiting hummingbirds, bumblebees, and other pollinators is pivotal. Pale purple coneflowers grow over 1 foot wide and twice (if not more) tall. You can even make your own birdseed by growing this beautiful plant and harvesting its tan achenes (fruits) in August.

Darwin Perennials' Raspberry Deluxe coneflower (Echinacea hybrida 'Balscrasux') from the Double Scoop series is your key to creating a blushing garden. The perennial packs a massive punch in its barely 2-foot mound by budding deep pink blooms from spring through summer — relentlessly. Unlike most double flower varieties, it attracted pollinators, including bees, in JC Raulston Arboretum's 2023-24 plant trials. It's also known to overwinter and return reliably with full sun exposure in zones 4 to 9. No amount of stress from heat or drought could strip the flowers of their radiant color. They also resist deer herbivory.

Being a brainchild of Marco Van Noort, 'Delicious Candy' coneflower earned its botanical name, Echinacea 'Noortdeli.' Its semi-double magenta-red flowers bloom non-stop for nine weeks since summer, making it a coveted addition to gardens. Not only are their deep green blades amply showy, but they also remain relatively disease-free. Start with plugs to have the coneflowers blooming in 14 weeks. In addition to full sun, they'll require magnesium, potassium, and phosphate helpings in their potting mix (if growing in containers) for the best show. Divide the plant after three years.

Grow 'Fiery Meadow Mama' (Echinacea 'Fiery Meadow Mama') to swathe your sunny garden in fiery, two-toned late summer interest that'll last until frost. Her fire-red cones are haloed by reflexed red-tinged, golden florets that pollinators find irresistible. 'Fiery Meadow Mama' averages around 24 inches on top and across and can be teamed with coral bells in containers and garden beds. However, her disease resistance can be a hit or a miss. While Ohio's plant trials found these coneflowers disease-free, Mt Cuba center's trials for the mid-Atlantic region found traces of aster yellow disease, so plant it accordingly.

While most other yellow-flowering coneflowers like 'Mac 'n' Cheese' and 'Now Cheesier' lose their vivid hues with time, Prairie Pillars 'Leilani' (Echinacea 'Leilani') is an exception. That's probably why it earned its tag of 'Top Performer' in 2014's Colorado State University's flower trials. Despite touching up to 40 inches in height, 'Leilani' shows no signs of drooping. For this reason, it readily lends itself to the middle or back of borders, edge fences, or to adorn parking strips. While its foliage usually remains disease-resistant, mid-Atlantic gardeners must watch for powdery mildew and aster yellows. It blooms for nine weeks.

Chicago Botanic Garden initially introduced 'Pixie Meadowbrite' coneflower as Echinacea 'CBG Cone 2' under its Meadowbrite series. It shares a complicated heritage, given it's a cross between hybrid varieties involving native species E. tennesseensis, E. purpurea, and E. angustifolia. However, such breeding has saddled it with fragrant, 3-inch wide, bright pink flowers cradled by sword-like green blades. Their mound is sturdy, albeit wider than tall, and promises a long blooming season. Neither drought nor deer can undo its growth. While pests aren't a concern, rarely Japanese beetles and eriophyid mites may harm them.