Echinacea purpurea Daydream - Purple Coneflower

The 'Daydream' Echinacea brings freshness and brightness. The heads are surrounded by a skirt of golden-yellow florets that fade and bend backwards as they bloom, revealing a prominent orange heart in the shape of a large button. It is a beautiful summer plant that brightens up the season with its generous and long-lasting flowering. Afterwards, the achenes (their seeds) take over in autumn to the delight of the birds that feast on them. This purple Echinacea is a resistant and easy-to-grow perennial, which can be used to create very cheerful bouquets and also works well in dried arrangements. It actively animates the garden with the numerous pollinators it attracts.

Originally from North America, where it has already naturally colonized many states, Echinacea has been with us for many years.  It originally settles spontaneously in wild spaces: vast meadows, forest edges, roadsides... It can adapt to any type of soil, any type of climate, and displays a robustness and hardiness that gardeners appreciate. It prefers deep, well-drained soils and will establish more easily (and therefore withstand drought afterwards) if initially placed in moist soil. Note that it may take its time to establish, but then it proves to be resistant and long-lasting. It thrives in the sun, but also in light shade. It requires very little care, except for the traditional small grooming of removing faded flowers as desired.

It is a herbaceous plant, belonging to the Asteraceae family, with an upright and bushy habit. The leaves are deciduous, rather dark green, hairy, and quite thick. The stems are long and sturdy and bear at their top large heads measuring 5 to 10cm (2 to 4in) in diameter. The colours and shapes vary limitlessly with the new varieties available, and everyone will find their favourite among the Echinacea cultivars now available. They all consist of a central cone, sometimes cylindrical, which can be very prominent, as is the case with 'Daydream'. With its single row of long florets gently swaying in the wind, they both create a tableau of evolving charming hues. Transitioning from golden-yellow to straw yellow, this halo highlights the initially yellow-green heart and then a very warm orange.

The intermediate size of 'Daydream' (65cm (26in) tall by 45cm (18in) wide) allows it to be placed in the background of small flowerbeds and to weave through different levels in larger spaces. It shines near ornamental grasses, pairs well with the multiple colours of Dahlias and its cousins from the same genus: 'Marmalade', 'Sunrise', and the unique 'Green Wizard'. But it also dares to stand out against a dark backdrop composed of shrubs with purple or black foliage.