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Echinacea purpurea 'Fatal Attraction'

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Kemper Code:  C961

Common Name: purple coneflower
Zone: 3 to 8
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: None
Height: 1.5 to 2 feet
Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet
Bloom Time: June - September  
Bloom Color: Magenta purple with orange-brown center
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low


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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Photo: Walters Gardens, Inc.
High resolution image available.
  Uses:       Wildlife:   Flowers:   Leaves:   Fruit:
Hedge Suitable as annual Attracts birds Has showy flowers Leaves colorful Has showy fruit
Shade tree Culinary herb Attracts Has fragrant flowers Leaves fragrant Fruit edible
Street tree Vegetable   hummingbirds Flowers not showy Good fall color   Other:
Flowering tree Water garden plant Attracts Good cut flower Evergreen Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1') Will naturalize   butterflies Good dried flower     Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun. This is an adaptable plant that is tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and poor soil. Divide clumps when they become overcrowded (about every 4 years). Plants usually rebloom without deadheading, however prompt removal of spent flowers improves general appearance.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

‘Fatal Attraction’ is a compact purple coneflower that is distinguished from species plants by its slightly upturned magenta purple rays that do not droop, its large flattened orange-bronze central cones, its sweet fragrance and its near black flowering stems. It typically grows in an upright clump to 26” tall on stems clad with toothed, tapering, narrow-ovate, dark green leaves. Flowers bloom from June to early September, sometimes with sporadic later bloom. Dead flower stems will remain erect well into the winter, and if flower heads are not removed, the blackened cones are often visited by goldfinches that feed on the seeds. Echinacea comes from the Greek word “echinos” meaning hedgehog in reference to the flower’s spiny center cone.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems. Japanese beetle, powdery mildew and fungal leaf spots are occasional problems.

Uses:

Border fronts, cottage gardens, wildflower meadows or part shade areas of open woodland gardens.

© Missouri Botanical Garden, 2001-2010


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