I grow only the purple (magnus) and a white (white swan) variety. The white ones died back and were mia for several years and last year they seem to have reemerged in just a couple of spots. The purple ones thrive here but I'd like to add at least 1 or 2 more colors but not sure just which ones will reseed or comeback the following year.

Any suggestions? I am in a zone 5/6.

Hi, Julia, welcome~!
I have grown "Kim's Knee High" and it has increased steadily and been quite care-free. Also, like you, Magnus is a staple.
I've had poor results from White Swan. But I am in Zone 7A.
"Sundown" is an interesting variety and it is hardy to Zone 4.
Here it is in our database

Coneflower (Echinacea Big Sky™ Sundown)

Thank you Janice. Kim's Knee High looks to be a great pink.As long as it doesn't bloom purple

You're most welcome!
It has been pink for me and a strong grower.

Here are some other good varieties, from a good source, Hallsons.
http://www.perennialnursery.co...

and another great source:
http://www.santarosagardens.co...

I wintersowed White Swan in 2010, so last summer was it's first to bloom. It was pretty and did well. I hope I have better luck with mine than you have had.



Karen

Beautiful Karen

Great looking, Karen!!

Maybe seeds are the way to go!

Nice pic of White Swan. I do hope you have good luck with it. I think white helps to balance colors in the garden so your eyes
re-adjust to the see what else to feast on.

I too like the "White Swan" and it seems to have done well for me..Last summer I had lots of seedlings and I think I reset them. Now to see what bloom color I get this year. I also have some " Rubinstern" and "Coconut Lime"...Can't wait for spring.....Also have "Magnus" both the original and seedlings....

Had eight White Swans and really liked them a lot. But all seem to have died in the first winter. In last five years, also planted Pixie Meadowbrite, Milkshake, Meringue, Raspberry Truffle, Harvest Moon, Magnus, Kims Knee High, Merlot, and a couple of others. Milkshake, Meringue, and Raspberry Truffle are all first year and I will see what happens in Spring. All the others died off. Think they don't like my soil. Or could be the extreme summer was too much. Going to try a passel of them next year in some raised beds I'm putting in. I love Echinacea of all kinds and hate to think I can't keep them going.

Interesting as to what has come back in other gardens. Last thing I want to do is buy a pot and have it die off over the winter. Echinaceas are not cheap so I'm trying to investigate each before I lay out the $$'s.

Julia

Just wondering Tiki Torch does? I like the bright ones but are they just not as hardy?

Teresa

Tiki Torch has not done well here..twice.....did not grow well and did not come through our mild winter.

I haven't tried Tiki Torch (love the color) but I'm wondering if some Echinaceas do better in cooler climates where they have a cold period.

I did order some additional seeds to try this year:
ECHINACEA, POWWOW WILD BERRY
ECHINACEA, DOUBLE DECKER
ECHINACEA, PRIMADONNA WHITE
I hope they arrive this week so I can take a few and put them outdoors to wintersow and then do some inside.

I need to do additional research on growing these from seed indoors. I'm trying to determine if they need a cold period before planting.

Nice assortment, Julia!

I'm not thrilled with the way Double Decker looks - it's a bit messier than the ads lead you to believe, but it has multiplied well for me. I wonder if my partly shady situation is why White Swan has also done well for me - same area as the Do Deck.

I also have 'Midnight' (a short variety) and the yellow E. paradoxa, both of which have done fine in that part-shade area.

I grew pow wow wild berry and pow wow white, from seed last year and they bloomed their little heads off all summer long.I love the color of the wild berry.

[quote="JuliaNY"]I haven't tried Tiki Torch (love the color) but I'm wondering if some Echinaceas do better in cooler climates where they have a cold period.

For those of you in the warmer climates that have trouble overwintering echinacea I think that they really do best with a cold dormant period. In my zone 5 garden they are becoming a noxious weed though I do find that the white, yellow & orange coloured varieties are much less hardy here. I tried Tiki Torch and never had any flowers! The buds developed well then just before the petals opened the stem collapsed. Has anybody else had this problem with this variety? I've never had this happen to any other variety I've grown.

My echinacea seeds came and now I'm figuring out the best time to start some indoors. I do want to try a few seeds outdoors as well but not sure just yet where I would want to do a trial spot. I only have 10 Powwow Wild Berry, 20 Double Decker and 30 Primadona White to work with and given the questionable germination success of any seeds, I don't want to make a mistake. Also don't want the birds thinking I'm giving them some food.

Julia, I've never tried ech seeds under lights but have had good success wintersowing them. I've done the regular purple, doppelganger, and White Swan.

Here's what Clothier says
Echinacea pallida, and purpurea , Sow at 20ºC (68ºF), if no germination in 3-4 wks, move to -4 to +4ºC (24-39ºF) for 2-4 wks

Echinacea angustifolia, paradoxa, and tennesseensis , Sow at 18-22ºC (64-71ºF) for 2-4 wks, move to 4ºC (40ºF) for 9 wks, move to 10ºC (50ºF) for germination

You might want to pose your question on the seed forum.

Karen