Echinacea purpurea Summer Salsa - Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Summer Salsa' is a new variety with double flowers in vibrant shades of red and orange, blooming from July to September.

Originating from the United States, this 80cm (32in) tall perennial forms a compact, hardy, and well-behaved clump. The deciduous, lanceolate, green leaves are covered in bristly hairs. The reddish, branched stems are each topped with a solitary 7cm (3in) wide head, with a prominent, bristly, green-brown disk and trailing petals in vibrant red and orange.

Echinacea purpurea 'Summer Salsa' is a nectar-rich plant that thrives in fertile, deep, loose, moist, and well-drained soil in a sunny location. Mulch the base in May to retain moisture in the summer, as it is sensitive to drought. Excellent for cutting or drying.

Coneflower 'Summer Salsa' can be used in mixed borders with other varieties or alongside lupins, amaranths, and astilbes.

Benefits: In homoeopathy, it is used to treat colds and strengthen the immune system.