Echinacea SUNSEEKERS EMBERS

SunSeekers is a coneflower series bred by Innoflora BV and marketed by Gootjes AllPlant BV from the Netherlands. The first part consists of varieties whose patent names begin with Apecss- and comprises of plants with single flowers of remarkably rich colours. While the second part of the series with patent names beginning with Ipecss- breaks through with a completely new and innovative design of semi-double flowers which recall gerbera and dahlia rather than a coneflower. The first and hugely successful variety was SunSeekers Salmon and was awarded Gold Medal by KVBC at Plantarium Exhibition 2018.

Do you love deep and warm colours? How about orange or golden? These are my favourite so no wonder I am nuts about this 2023 introduction of hybrid coneflower from the SUNSEEKERS series. It does not have a trade name yet and its provisional name says SUNSEEKERS EMBERS. How apt! It produces rather large, on average 8 cm across, single, slightly fragrant flowers which glow in three colours shades of hot embers: deep orange, vivid golden, and fiery red. But the show is not over yet – as the flower mature, golden colour is replaced with light raspberry purple tones.

The discs are rather flat (not cone-shaped), dark orange and brown, and hide plenty of nectar for butterflies, bumble bees as well as bees. Flowering begins from midsummer and lasts until the last sunny and warm days of autumn. Longevity of individual flowers is 2-3 weeks. Plants are low, compact and dense. Stems are usually 30-40 cm tall. Deadhead spent flowers regularly and feed the plants every two weeks during summer. Leaves are healthy, deep green, and broadly lanceolate. PFAF.

The plant is usually trouble-free and resistant, just be careful if slugs are present in your garden. Since coneflowers emerge quite late, often when slugs are already in their lethal strength, they could gobble up newly emerging foliage totally and thus destroy the plant before it even comes out.

Coneflower will tolerate almost any soil type but boggy. It is a prairie plant which suggests that it loves plenty of sun and heat and dislikes excess watering. Still, keep it slightly moist in the first year after transplanting, even before and perhaps during winter (if too dry) to help it establish well. From the second year it rarely requires other irrigation than rain. It is suitable for mixed perennial borders or can be used as a flowering feature among low shrubs and conifers and looks lovely when planted in a mass in a container on patios and balconies. Fully hardy to about -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 15-09-2023