Echinacea Meditation white - Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Meditation White' is a recent variety derived from Echinacea purpurea, with a compact habit and thick, robust stems that support long and abundant summer flowering.  This echinacea offers a multitude of almost squat flowers from the end of June, composed of a dense and almost horizontal white collar, surrounding a prominent ochre to olive-coloured heart.  It is a very resistant plant that adapts to difficult conditions, tolerating intense heat, humidity, and drought. It can even grow in poor soils and performs well in pots.

Native to the western United States, from Georgia to Michigan, passing through Oklahoma and Ohio, the purple Rudbeckia is a perennial with a strong character, which confidently colonizes rocky meadows, savannas, open woodlands, and roadside edges in its natural habitat. 'Meditation White' is a dwarf form of this intrepid pioneer. It has a compact and dense clump-like habit, reaching 50 cm (20in) high and 40-45 cm (16-18in) wide. This plant remains strong and upright, showing excellent resilience. The deciduous, opposite, lanceolate, green leaves are covered in rough hairs. Flowering occurs from July to September, accompanying all the summer flowers and loved by butterflies. The unbranched, olive-green stems each terminate in a solitary flower head measuring 6-7 cm (2-3in) in diameter, with a large and prominent, initially olive-green, then ochre-yellow cone, and short, fringed, pure white ligules. The fruit is an achene that releases seeds which birds are fond of. This plant firmly and deeply anchors itself in the soil, thanks to its well-developed root system.

'Meditation White' Echinacea, with its compact, dense habit and long flowering period, will find a place at the edge of borders, and in flowerbeds and containers. It can be mixed with other varieties (such as Pica Bella, Cranberry Cupcake), or smaller yarrows, daisies ('Engelina', 'Princesse d'argent'), echinops, and dwarf phlox. Lighten up the scene by adding some ornamental grasses like Stipa tenuifolia, Muhlenbergia capillaris, Pennisetum orientale Karley Rose...Splendid in borders, the beautiful flowers of the purple echinacea are also stunning in fresh or dried flower arrangements.

Properties: In homoeopathy, its root is used to combat colds and strengthen the immune system. These properties were first used by Native Americans. The name Echinacea comes from the Greek echinos, which means "hedgehog-like," and acea, which means "having the shape of," alluding to the flower heads. Purpurea means "purple."