Echinacea, Double Coneflower 'Doppelganger'

I planted five Echinacea varieties just this late spring (about six weeks ago). The list includes the Double Decker, Green Jewel, Double...Read More Scoop Bubblegum, Kim’s knee high and the Pow Wow. All have been well watered and in a good mix of well-drained soil receiving full sun with harsh afternoons. All are happy and healthy, but my best performers by far are the bubblegum and green jewel producing multiple blooms with no end in sight as I see buds way down the line. The bubblegum has a very unique shape as well as a beautiful color, the green jewel is interesting because there just are not that many green blooms around (other than some of my hydrangeas). Kim’s knee high also has multiple blooms, but I do not find them as color rich or as interesting as the others-they sort of sit on top of each other, which I do not like in a coneflower. The double decker is by far the most interesting. It has only three blooms and two buds, but has absolutely performed its duty-contrary to some other reviews I have read. It has doubled on one bloom so far and I can see the formation of another set of doubles on a second bloom. I was hopeful for the pow-wow to perform, but have not been yet impressed, although this may be my placement as it receives the brunt of the runoff from watering and the harshest amount of sun, but I will give it a shot for next season. As far as growth, so far the Kim’s knee high and pow wow have topped out at 10” in growth, the bubblegum and green jewel have their highest blooms at 13” and the double decker is standing tall at 19”-this is all at six weeks after planting happy plants from the nursery that started about three quarters the size they are now. I am so impressed with the green jewel and bubble gum that I will be adding a combination of five more along a short walkway we need to fill in-I would love to add the double decker in this space as well, but they would end up blocking the view of my beautiful stargazer lilies if they indeed reach their supposed height of 36-40”. Hope my review helps and happy gardening to all of you  Kristi in Kansas City

Tall and quite unusual during several stages of bloom development. I got the full 'double decks' during the second year.

Tall 40" - Plant 24" apart. zone 3-8 Flowers sprout another set of petals on top of the cone.

This is deffinantly not my favorite coneflower. I bought this particular one at a local nursury about four years ago. It can take sever...Read Moreal years, as I found out, for this coneflower to double its decker. I only had a few straggly petals shooting up from the top last year. The plant itself has not even gotten much bigger. Maybe this summer it will finaly get that pritty double decker.