I love 'Pica Bella'! It's compact and has many blooms. The blooms are shaped so perfectly. It really stands out in the garden. The weather here has been about 100˚ and VERY dry. This plant just thrives!
'Marmalade' and 'Pica Bella'
Here's 'Marmalade'. It's not as orange as I expected, but I love the way it has the yellow color in the middle. Considering the weather we've had, this plant is impressing me! 100˚ with very little rain and both of these cultivars are doing very well.
Here's the photo...
yeah the pica bella never skipped a beat on sending up a ton of blooms in the heat and dry weather. Yours seems to have more unfurled petals vs spike petals. nice look. it would be interesting to see crosses with this one.
That marmalade definitely doesn't look like the tag photos at all. Not a bad color.. just not orange. Did it start out more orange?
The Pica Bella looks really nice. Another nice compact variety.
My 'Marmalade is golden orange to orange. The color changes as the flower ages but it always looks good and lasts for a long time. This is a winner I think if it comes through the winter. Here is a pic of mine blooming now. I have posted other pics here somewhere.
Edited to add link to previous post and pics. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1107184/
This message was edited Aug 9, 2010 2:13 PM
It's not orange here though. I think the color depends on the temperature. Maybe this is another of the plants that only blooms the right color in Zone 4. LOL.
It has been hot and humid here too. Not much rain. I think it may be type of soil too or how intense the sunlight is that makes a difference in color tones. I am z6 almost 7 if you go by the new hardiness charts. On the oldest bloom the petals that hang down are a soft yellow and the head is peach colored now.
Maybe the color on mine will improve. I'll take another picture this afternoon. I photographed those this morning very early. Maybe it'll look better in different light.
I think Pica Bella is prettier. It has so many blooms and they seem to keep coming! I must have more of that one. It's pink, but it's a definite improvement over the other pink varieties to me.
Like the deep color of "Pica Bella". Your "Marmalade's" both look great, regardless of whatever colors you're seeing in your climates.
Here's an update on 'Marmalade'. It's getting more yellow with age.
I live in zone 4 - are there many experiences/observations that coneflowers have truer(advertised) color in chillier climates? We have hot/humid weather in Minnesota also but long brutal winters. We have had lots of rain this year and lots of hot weather - perfect growing season actually. Very lucky that we haven't had to supplement too much watering this year.
My coneflowers do very very well in my garden and they sure do reseed joyously! The butterflies in my garden were unbelieveable this year.