I have an area where I have various echinaceas from volunteers from the first one I ever bought over twenty years ago to some of the latest and greatest including Meadowbrite and Big Sky Hybrids. The area is more Zone 6 ish than my location would suggest.
I have whites, pinks. oranges, 'reds' and yellows and almost all of them do well and come back bigger and better every year—except the yellows. It doesn't seem to matter which line the yellows are from, They come back spindly and weak and peter out after a few years.
After about five years I do have one Mango Meadowbrite that has either forgiven me and decided to grow or died and left some E. paradoxa behind in its place. (I never remember to really check the color when I'm out there)
Has anyone else had this problem?
Are there secrets to success with the yellows that I'm unaware of?
Do they just hate me?
I just bought another Big Sky Sunrise. I work in a garden center and I cannot resist them when I have to see them every day!
This message was edited Jul 7, 2011 4:01 PM
Yellow Echinacea cultivars performance / survival
I think paradoxa is the best yellow. However, nothing beats Rudbeckia for yellow. I think I'm going to focus on them if I really want yellow.
Paradoxa is of course the strongest.. but if you want the purpurea form.. that's another story.
The big sky seem to come back fine but they arent the strongest color/size. The newest "yellows" don't seem to be ones that come back strong. I had mac n cheese come back a few times.. but then lost them. Flame thrower (not all yellow) seems very strong on the second year.
Ahhh, so it isn't just me.
From the color, it looks like it is a Mango Meadowbrite coming back, albeit, weakly. It does look more like the paradoxa form but maybe it was always like that. (I can post a pic if interested)
I'll try straight paradoxa from seed next spring.
Thanks
Post some of your pictures!!!