Seven of Our Favorite Echinacea Varieties

Demand for this humble, easy-to-grow native plant continues to grow. Beloved for its beauty, planting this pollinator friendly plant is also a great way to support wildlife. With growing demand comes new varieties - some are 'nativars' (a variant of the species brought into cultivation), and some are hybrids (crosses between two different coneflower species). And of course there is the popularity of old-timey nativars and straight species natives that have been enjoyed for decades. Growers breeding new cultivars are continually introducing new options each year - and while all are lovely, we like to note what varieties perform best in trial gardens as well as test them in our own. Many of the more vividly colored cultivars can be stunning but act more like an annual or short-lived perennial compared with the longer-lived, more vigorous growth habits of the natives and nativars. Each year we determine which coneflowers to grow based on the information we've read and observed - here are just a few of our favorites from this year! We'd love to hear from you as to which varieties perform best in your gardens!

Why are most coneflowers so low maintenance in the garden? Read our blog post, Why We Love Native Plants to find out!