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Herbaceous Perennial

Echinacea purpurea 'The King'
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

purple coneflower 'The King'

Strong-growing upright perennial coneflower that may reach 1.5m in height,with branched stems supporting rough, hairy green leaves, from summer to autumn produces solitary flowerheads with arching pink ray-petals surrounding an orange-brown cone

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Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Pink Green
Autumn Pink Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Asteraceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus

Echinacea are erect, clump-forming rhizomatous perennials with simple or pinnately lobed leaves and solitary, long-stalked daisies with prominent conical central disks and often drooping ray florets; attractive to butterflies

Name status

Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in deep, well-drained, humus-rich soil ideally in full sun although they can tolerate some shade

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or autumn although they resent a lot of disturbance, or by root cuttings from late autumn to early winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Prairie planting
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds
Pruning

Cut back stems as the blooms fade to encourage further flower production

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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