Echinacea purpurea Lustre Hybrids - Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea Lustre Hybrids is a mixture of flowers in various colours, featuring a very attractive combination of pure white, intense purples, or the brightest reds.

Echinacea purpurea or Purple Coneflower is a herbaceous perennial endemic to North America. It can be found in the dry prairies of the Eastern United States or in sparsely wooded areas. Its natural habitat includes heathlands as well as cultivated fields. This large Asteraceae is characterised by large pale pink to violet heads, sometimes white, carried by tall, very upright stems that branch at their ends. Typically, it measures between 60 cm (24in) and 1.20 m (4ft). When the flower is young, the ligules of the collar unfold horizontally before adopting a widely involute (inward or downward bent) habit. The flower's colours fade over time. The central florets form a conical dome with rough, amber and brown-red pointed tubular florets that become more prominent and darker as the flower blooms. This uniqueness has earned it the name Echinacea, which comes from the Greek 'Ekhinos' meaning hedgehog. The dark green leaves are lanceolate, pubescent, and become sessile at the top of the stem.

Echinacea purpurea Lustre Hybrids is a mixture of flowers in various colours. This mix includes flowers with a diameter of about 10 cm (4in), ranging from the purest white to intense purples and the brightest reds. It is a tall combination, 80 cm (32in) to be used specifically in the background of borders or in mixed borders.

It prefers rich, sandy, well-drained soils but is not affected by soil pH in the slightest. It enjoys 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 thrive. Pair it with Echinacea Coconut Lime, phlox, alliums, or even tall eupatoriums.

Highly nectar-rich and pollen-rich, its fragrance attracts butterflies; by placing purple patches near orchards, you will undoubtedly contribute to the pollination of your fruit trees. At the edge of borders within meadows or in rock gardens, this beautiful daisy will naturally blend in. Trimming faded flowers stimulates new blooms. However, you can leave some stems and heads during winter: they are very graphic and the seeds are highly sought after by hungry birds, such as bullfinches and goldfinches. The flowers make a great impression in bouquets as part of floral compositions.

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