I adore coneflowers.I want to add some new ones to the front of my beds.Can anyone tell me some of the shorter cultivars?
Shortest Coneflowers?
Hi GardenGuyKin, I have a large perennial bed I would like to add low growing coneflowers in the front.I tried white swan but they are about the same height as my double deckers and block the view of them so I need to move them back a bit.
Edited to add: I will ask at the garden center this weekend.
This message was edited Aug 6, 2007 4:09 PM
Cedarnest,
I have a few suggestions. Echinacea 'After Midnight' height is only around 12". Both Echinacea 'Pink Double Delight' and 'Little Giant' are 18-24". I think a white Echinacea would look really nice in front of your 'Double Decker' (which is 40" heigh, according to my info) and a shorter white Echinacea is 'Virgin', which is only 20-24". Another white suggestion that I would have it 'Coconut Lime' which gets 24-30".
Hope this helps you!
My Kim's Knee High is probably about a foot tall. Raspberry Tart is only a little bit taller, and it's a darker magenta-ish raspberry. I don't know how different it is than After Midnight, though.
After Midnight,Jade,Pixie Meadowbright from what I've seen for myself.
Wow thanks everyone.I never realized there was such a difference in heights between cultivars.It looks like I have alot of options to work with. Looks like I get to go shopping again : ) Thank you all for your help!
Nancy
Kim's Knees, and Kim's Mophead are two great choices. My After midnight is too tall for the front of a bed.
My Kim's Knee High started small but I have re-named them Kim's Butt High.
OH my goodness!
LOL Victor!!! Irrepressible!
Really, though? About the knee-highs?
xx, Carrie
Can anyone post a pic of the Kim's Knee High? ....or Butt High....whichever....:)
Yes, they are the size of regular ones - about 3 ft high. Louise, I'll check, but they look like the standard purple coneflower. They're just supposed to be shorter.
Am I correct in observing coneflowers getting a lot bigger the 2nd or 3rd year?
Thanks, Victor. I'm trying to recall the really short one I saw at Elizabeth Park in Hartford. I loved how short it was for the front of the border. Any idea which one I'm trying to think of?
I have a Kim's Mophead that is in its second year and about 1 1/2 foot high. it had great white blooms, but now seems to be resting in the unbelievable heat and humidity we've had the last week.
Teacup - That sounds like what I'm looking for.......thanks for that tip....I'll put it on my list for spring!
Kim's mophead - 1 1/2 feet, first year.
Kim's Knees = 2 - 2 1/2 feet, first year.
Nice Penn. I think I've seen some KK at a site I work at, it does have unique form and color.
I went to two different nurseries this week to look for coneflowers. It was interesting to see the differences. It seems that coneflowers can grow alot taller than the given range, when they are planted under ideal conditions, and taken care of. They can also be considerably shorter as well - I would assume that is when they are not grown under ideal conditions or it could be that they are a slightly mutated strain.
I saw harvest moon at two nurseries. One was only about 1 1/2 foot high and blooming. The other one was about 2 1/2 feet. Kims's knees was considerably shorter at one nursery as well (probably about a foot difference - all plants were blooming). White swan had the greatest variation in height. It ranged from 2 1/2 feet to 4 feet. I didn't have the opportunity to compare the growers, since I didn't know that I would be visiting a second nursery the next day.
So I guess the moral is that if you want a shorter version, try to find one that is short in the nursery, and then don't give it ideal conditions.
Wow, Penne - I actually think I can handle that!! :)
I ignored my Kim's Knees and they are now giants.
Victor,
You must have great soil!
Maybe, but I wanted short ones!! I call them Kim's Butt-hi now.
Victor,
You might be interested in baby white. It is supposed to be a dwarf version of white swan. I haven't grown this myself, but it looks very interesting. I might try some of these next spring.
http://www.hazzardsgreenhouse.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=E6908&Category_Code=PEG&Store_Code=Hazwho
Thank you.
I've heard of Cygnet White. Never seen seeds or plants of it under that name.
I stil haven't pulled the trigger on Paronoia from PD yet either.
Afraid to??
$ I guess.
I found "baby white" at that nursery Tabasco was talking about - maybe on another thread? Jelitto's maybe? Can't remember. The only problem with Joyce Hazzard's seeds is you need to buy 250 or 500 seeds at a time. Joyce is great, though.
xxx, Carrie
Carrie, there are probably several people around this forum who might be interested if you are considering getting some seeds - like me. I don't need several hundred coneflowers either. I was also considering the prima donna or ruby star as well.
I just received an email from Park Seeds describing a dwarf coneflower called "Lilliput".
http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=41518&cid=pem000641
It looks pretty.
Thanks for that link, Shebs. I think that's just what I've been looking for!
Garden Crossings has Lilliput too, much better plants.
http://www.gardencrossings.com/
I second GC as a great source. You will definitely spend a penny with them but you get quality material and great customer service.
I just bought Lilliput today
supposedly only grows 12" to 18" tall
going to put that at the front of a bed
and then I bought Pink Double Delight
supposedly half the height of Razzmatazz but twice the number of blooms
going to put that in front of the Razzmatazz that I have
sammigirl,
That will be nice. Did you buy your selections from a local nursery?
Sharon
Victor and Al - a double recommendation from you two re: Garden Crossings did me in!! I lost my head and bought not only Lilliput but Pink Double Delight and After Midnight as well. Yikes!
They're probably all hybrids so I can't propagate them....right?? Oh well! That's my only big splurge this summer....gulp!
Sammi - I have the same thing in mind that you are going to do.......good luck with yours!!
I haven't even started my Fall GC order yet! Did Fairweather on Friday. The GC guys are top-notch.