Echinacea purpurea
Rubinstern
(Ruby Star)

A selection of coneflower, this variety has upright flower spikes to around 90cm with ruby red, large open flowers from late summer into autumn.

• Height: Easily maintained to 90cm 
• Spread: Easily maintained to 50cm
• Foliage Colour: Dark Green
• Flower Colour: Dark Pink
• Flowering Season: Summer and Autumn
• Soil Type: Moist, well drained, sandy, loam, clay
  
• Position: Full Sun - Partial Shade
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy once established, H5 (down to -10)
• Type: Herbaceous Perennial

Good for a  mixed border and works well from full sun into semi shade.

Hardy, herbaceous perennial growing to around 0.5/1m high and similar spread

Supplied in either a 9cm pot or 2 Litre pot, please select from the drop down menu when ordering.

Echinacea purpurea originates from the United States and has also been known as Rudbeckia purpurea, owing to the similarity Echinacea and Rudbeckia share in a number of areas. The species purpurea is a strong stemmed, upright plant with dark green leaves. The stems branch early on to develop flower buds which open to display very impressive, large daisy like flowers with long narrow petals in a rich purple/cerise colour. The iconic part of the flower is the large, domed mound to the center of each flower in an orange/brown colour giving the plant it's name 'Cone Flower'. These plants grow in the prairies of America and are used to relatively poor soils, with competition from other plants, because of this they prefer well drained soils with full sun and are great as part of a mixed border with other perennials. Echinacea flowers from mid-late summer. 

  The wonderful thing for gardeners when it comes to Echinacea is that they have been heavily bred and crossed to create a huge range of varieties, this at first can seem daunting and many varieties can seem similar but the key is the flowering heights, purpurea is one of the tallest flowering at around 120cm but now gardeners can choose from a range of different heights ranging from 40 or 50cm up to 120cm, there is also a wide range of colours with many in the purple/pink spectrum through to white. There are also stand outs like the bright orange and yellow forms found in the mixed strain of Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit and the very unusual purple, green and cream flowers of Echinacea Green Twister.

Echinacea purpurea is also used as a medicine, first being used by Native Americans to treat burns, wounds, bites and other ailments. Today it is used as an alternative medicine to help boost the immune system.