Echinacea SunSeekers Sweet Fuchsia - Purple coneflower

Echinacea SunSeekers Sweet Fuchsia has flowers with an original shape and a very rich colour, which does not fade over time. It has numerous, quite narrow and pointed, vibrant fuchsia pink petals around a green centre that darkens as it matures. It is a compact variety visited by pollinating insects and interesting for its floriferousness and its good performance in flower beds as well as in pots. The flowers bloom for several weeks in summer. It is an easy-to-grow perennial that blends easily with all other plants in the garden or on the terrace. Its flowers are ideal for cutting or drying.

The 'Sweet Fuchsia' Echinacea belongs to the Asteraceae family. This cultivar is part of the remarkable 'SunSeekers' series, which stands out from other echinaceas with their unique flower shapes and colours that do not fade over time. The 'SunSeekers' also have exceptional vigour, with these hybrids producing masses of flowers carried on short stems, above narrow dark green leaves. 'Sweet Fuchsia' forms a dense and sturdy clump, 50 cm (20in) high and 40 cm (16in) wide. The deciduous, lanceolate, opposite green leaves are covered in bristly hairs. The abundant flowering lasts from July to September and is loved by butterflies. The branched, green-red stems are each topped with a solitary head measuring 6 to 8 cm (2 to 3in) in diameter, with a prominent, bristly central green disk surrounded by flat to slightly recurved ligulate, rich purple-pink petals. The fruit is an achene that releases seeds which birds love. This plant firmly and deeply anchors itself in the soil with its highly developed root system.

The 'Sweet Fuchsia' Rudbeckia is easy to grow in ordinary soil. It is very floriferous and ideal for beginner gardeners as well as enthusiasts of endless and colourful blooms. This variety is perfect for cut flowers or drying. Plant it along the edge of a flower bed with flowers of different shapes. Consider sages, carnations, dwarf asters, as well as dwarf daylilies. Add clumps of annuals like Nigellas and small grasses like stipas.

The scent of Echinacea varies depending on the stage of flowering. Initially, when the florets are in an upright crown, the scent is barely noticeable. At full bloom, when the florets droop, it exhales a delicate honey scent which attracts bees, butterflies, and other insects. Once the head is pollinated, the scent takes on a more vanilla note.

A medicinal plant: In homoeopathy, the root of echinacea is used to fight colds and strengthen the immune system. These properties were first used by Native Americans. The name Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos, meaning "hedgehog-like" or "hairy", and acea, meaning "resembling", referring to the appearance of the flower's centre.