I have more coneflowers than I realized, still I have not been able to grow White Swan, it never returns.

Very pretty! Mine are just starting to bloom. It has been a very cold year. Everything is late this year.

Karen

They look great.
Try Virgin or Pow Wow white, I have had Virgin for 5 or 6 years now where White Swan has not overwintered here.

I wintersowed White Swan and they did great for several years. They succumbed to Aster Yellows the year it was rampant here, but that can't be blamed on the plants. It's caused by the stupid leafhoppers, and any asteraceae is vulnerable

Karen

NJBob,
Thanks I just might try those.
kqcrna,
I usually have at least one plant usually two or more that I lose to Aster Yellows each year just had to pull one yesterday. That was the second one this year, I do hate those leaf hoppers, I have tried catching them but not much luck with that or with the grass hoppers. So I try to keep a few new plants coming alone at different stages so I can pop something in its place. The cone flower will have to be replaced at the moment with a nice little marigold.

I also have had very little luck with white coneflowers. I'll make a point to try the other varieties mentioned. Thanks!

LysmachiaMoon said:I also have had very little luck with white coneflowers. I'll make a point to try the other varieties mentioned. Thanks!

Count me in with the whites, my only survivor is "White Swan" IIRC. Yellows haven't done much better but I have one nice specimen in each color just starting to kick off this year. Even purples have been fickle over the years, I don't plant many "daisies" for non-gardener sorts. The pay-out is worth it for someone who tends their garden and some years they seem to need nothing but when a friend or colleague says "coneflower" the word that comes to mind is "fickle".

I love the pics and nursery blooms of the newer intros. I love the reds, but I haven't indulged yet. I think I have one White Swan in bloom and a yellow trying. I'll get some pics when both hit. My only other is a named but rather generic purple that's easily a week off at best. Best foliage in years, still fickle.

If you like the double flowers Meringue and Milkshake have been very reliable plants for me. I have them both for about 5 years now.

Hi there
your coneflowers are just beautiful
I bought the expensive white swan three years ago
and it lived a short while..

I asked a nursery person and they told me
that many of the more expensive newer ones do not flower well
after the second year and some never return.

I noticed my Merlot which I paid 25.00 for at a nursery near here
bloomed and was magnificent last year lst year
this year it returned and the flower cones came but never matured and
stayed green..here is a picture of it..

I removed it today from the flower bed
so I am going to stay with the common pink coneflower, unless someone wants
to give me a coneflower for sheri's healing flower garden.

I also bought the y ellow coneflower think it was called Sunrise and
it was beautiful for one year and never returned the following year
I have them in a dryer area, half day sun and all requirements
so it has to be true what the nursery person told me, or it is for me anyway

I think your Merlot had aster yellows, so good thing you got rid of it. I have just about never had a Big Sky series other then Solar Flare overwinter. I would suggest trying a Pow Wow Wildberry. And Wow is your garden center expensive. 25 for an echinacea is way too much. New Jersey is no cheap area to live and we pay 17 or less for the new releases as nice sized plants.

Cheyenne Spirit is from the same program as Pow Wow, and is also available as seed, blooming the first year. I've been very happy with it, though I have good conditions for echinaceas. I could grow this as an annual if I wanted, though the seed has gotten much more expensive in the last year. All of these colors and more came from the same seed packet last year.

They look good are you from an area in WA that does not get a lot of rain. Wet winters are tough on them.

About 6" of precipitation per year. Echinaceas and iris love it here. Haven't seen Aster Yellows yet, either.

I was just pointing another option that was well-reviewed for difficult areas and less expensive to replace.