Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Happy Star') is a very attractive plant to pollinators and an important source of nectar for many butterfly species. Monarchs, Red Admirals, Sulphurs, Fritillaries, Skippers, Swallowtails, and other butterflies enjoy this plant. In addition, Echinacea purpurea has special value to native bees, particularly bumble and leafcutter bees.
Echinacea 'Secret Affair' is a very pretty double-blossomed coneflower with an early to mid summer bloom time. It is also fragrant.
Unlike single-blossomed Echinacea, the double-blossomed cultivars like 'Secret Affair' do not attract pollinators. The bees and butterflies seem to not be able to access the nectar easily through the thick bloom cover, and so pass it by. If you are looking for a lovely dusty pink blossom color, this is it. If you are looking to attract the pollinators, you'll want to choose a single-bloom cultivar instead.
Echinacea 'Raspberry Truffle' is a very pretty double-blossomed coneflower with an early to mid summer bloom time. Unlike single-blossomed Echinacea, the double-blossomed cultivars like 'Raspberry Truffle' do not attract pollinators. The bees and butterflies seem to not be able to access the nectar easily through the thick bloom cover, and so pass it by. If you are looking for a unique and pretty blossom color, this is it. If you are looking to attract the pollinators, you'll want to choose a single-blossom cultivar instead.
According to NPIN, Echinacea pallida has special value to native bees.
Echinacea pallida is a preferred source of nectar for a variety of bees and butterflies.
A variety of bee species are attracted to this plant including longhorned, sweat, leafcutter, brownbelted bumble, and mining bees.
A no fuss echi with a long bloom period. Beautiful flowers are bee magnets and it's easy to divide. In well draining soil they can take lots of water, I have one with Japanese Iris, or no supplemental water.
Out of all the Echinaceas I've grown, 'Hot Summer' is the best! It's so colorful! There are different colors of flowers on the same plant, as it changes every few days. I keep it deadheaded because I want to make sure it keeps producing the gorgeous flowers.
If I could grow only one variety of Echinacea, this would be the one! I'm planning to replace all the Echineceas I grow with 'Hot Summer'!
I have been very impressed with Cheyenne Spirit. I've been growing both the red and the yellow since 2012, and they are without a doubt, the most vigorous Echinacea plants I own. Cheyenne Spirit is the first to leaf out the and the first to bloom. In my garden, the red is a shorter plant than the yellow, but both are great. These plants have lots of blooms with wonderful vibrant color that can be seen from a distance. They bloom a long time too. This variety is really noteworthy in all its characteristics. Highly recommended!
Echinaceas tend to die quickly in my yard. Have heavy clay and probably don't amend as much as these need. Last year, I planted several varieties and paid attention to the advice to keep them from blooming the first year. Looks like it worked, at least for now.
Echinacea paradoxa is an early and one-time blooming Echinacea. I plant it at the edge of other plants so that they will hide the foliage after it is finished blooming. This plant seems to be more resistant to Aster Yellows. I have never seen it with that disease here, even when near another plant with it.
I have successfully started this plant from seed and it blossomed the first year. A tall, very sturdy stemmed flower. Seeds are available from Summer Hill Seeds.
The blooms on these aren't always true to the promotional images. Over half of the plants I've seen have this form of bloom that looks like a double-decker-type flower.
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