A series of Echinacea (Purple Coneflower) developed by Richard and Bobby Saul of ItSaul Plants.
Pronunciation
(eh-kin-AA-cee-ah)(pur-pur-EE-ah)
Plant Type
All Plants, Perennials Hardy
Hardiness Zone
4-9
Sunlight
best in full, mostly sunny, light shade
Moisture
average, tolerates drier conditions once established
Soil & Site
average, dislikes wet winter soils
Flowers
orange, salmon and red flowers, brown central disk
Fruit
achenes in the dried center disk
Leaves
coarse, most at base of plant, some on stem but smaller
Stems
stout stem, has coarse white hairs
Dimensions
2-3 feet, space 18 inches on center
Maintenance
will reseed in the garden, cut back stout stem in fall or leave for winter interest
Propagation
division
Cultivar Origin
Big Sky™ series was developed by the breeding efforts of Richard and Bobby Saul of ItSaul Plants in Atlanta, Georgia.
Misc Facts
Echinacea from the Greek term for hedgehog, referring to the spiky appearance of the flower head.
Author's Notes
Echinacea have beautiful flowers, now available in a wide range of colors, but the foliage is on the coarse side and many times starts to fade a way or deteriorate sooner than other plants. Using in combination with other plants will help mask these problems.