Echinacea purpurea Double Decker - Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Double Decker' is a perennial that, in its second year, blooms with a second flower, single or double in its heart. The overall effect is a surprising silhouette of a flower topped with a tousled head.

Echinacea purpurea, or Purple Coneflower, is a perennial herbaceous plant endemic to North America. It is found in the dry grasslands of the Eastern United States or in sparsely wooded areas. Its natural habitat includes heathlands as well as cultivated areas. This large Asteraceae is characterised by large pale pink to violet flower heads, sometimes white, carried by tall, very stiff stems, dark green to purple, which branch out at their ends. Typically, it measures between 60 cm (24in) and 1.20m (4ft). When the flower is immature, the ligules of the collar spread horizontally before adopting an extensively involute position (bent downwards or towards the stem). The flower colours fade over time. The central florets form a conical dome covered in rough, amber-coloured tubules tipped with reddish-brown, becoming more prominent and darker as the flower blooms. This uniqueness has earned it the name Echinacea, which comes from the Greek word 'Ekhinos' meaning hedgehog. The dark green leaves are lanceolate, pubescent, and become sessile at the top of the stem.

The 'Double Decker' variety is the exceptional result of successive selections from an initial flower that was somewhat peculiar but clearly different. There is great variation in colours in this 1-metre (3 feet) tall cultivar, but its uniqueness lies elsewhere. It is, nothing less, than a flower with two levels. This achievement is due to the German horticulturist Eugen Schleipfer. In other words, during the second year of flowering, the plant produces a normal bloom topped by a smaller, sometimes double, second flower grafted onto the heart of the first one. The overall silhouette of the inflorescence resembles a flower topped with a tousled head.

Of course, it prefers rich, sandy, well-drained soils but is not affected at all by the soil's pH. It thrives in full sun and light partial shade. It is hardy and can withstand long periods of drought. Echinacea naturalises very easily. You can use it with other perennials in a meadow where it will spontaneously establish itself. Pair it with Echinacea Coconut Lime, phlox, alliums, or large eupatoriums.

Honey-bearing and nectar-bearing, its scent attracts butterflies; by placing purple cloths near orchards, you will undoubtedly contribute to the pollination of your fruit trees. At the edge of a flower bed within meadows or in rock gardens, this beautiful daisy will naturally take ownership of the space. Trimming faded flowers stimulates new blooms. However, you can leave some stems and flower heads during winter: they are very graphic and the seeds are highly prized by birds, especially bullfinches and goldfinches. The flowers make a sensation in bouquets as part of floral compositions.

The different species of Echinacea, notably purpurea, pallida, and angustifolia, are panaceas in Native American pharmacopoeia. They are reputed to be immune-stimulating and promote the healing of winter illnesses (colds, flu, respiratory ailments). All cultivars have retained the properties of their original species.