Purple Coneflowers
Purple coneflowers are great native plants and I personally think they are
one of the best plants you can grow in your garden. Today I’m in the
All America Selections trial garden at the MSU South Mississippi Branch Station
in Poplarville and I have to say I’m crazy for coneflowers. Who can
resist the two to four inch flowers with bright purple petals and dark center
cones? The foliage and stems have hairy surfaces that might remind
you of medium-grit sandpaper. Typically, coneflowers are large back-row
plants in perennial beds or borders. But plant breeders are developing
more compact plants such as the 2010 All America Selections winner Pow Wow
Wild Berry that grows up to 20 inches tall. The superior branching
results in more three to four inch flowers that bloom continuously with no
deadheading. Though named for the color purple, varieties are being
developed with other colors. These coneflowers with orange, yellow,
and red flowers are being evaluated for future release. Coneflowers
should be considered a tender perennial in coastal regions, but it’s a true
perennial for the rest of the state. The plant is susceptible to crown
rot the winter months. Mississippi gardeners should plant coneflowers
in raised beds to help keep the plant crown drier. Coneflowers may
be the ideal plant for busy gardeners
because they thrive on neglect. Irrigation is only needed during extreme
droughts. I’m Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.