Propagation

Coneflowers, Rudbeckia, Echinacea for a Wildlife Garden

Easy to grow plants

Coneflowers are easy to grow plants, and great for a sunny spot in the garden, they will provide a vivid splash of colour and non-stop blooms from July to October.

The name Coneflower is commonly used when referring to species of garden plants such as Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Dracopis and Ratibida a name taken from the prominent cone-shaped centres of the brightly coloured flowers.

Wildlife gardens

Best planted in groups, Coneflowers like Rudbeckia and Echinacea don’t just make great boarder plants, they are also great for attracting pollinating insects like Butterflies and Bees into wildlife gardens and can be mixed with companion plants like ox-eye daisy and later flowering Michaelmas Daisy.

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Cherry Brandy’

Popular varieties

Rudbeckia fulgida, Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’ Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta ‘Cherry Brandy’ Echinacea x hybrida ‘Magic Box’

To see the wide range of coneflower varieties and colours available visit Thompson & Morgan Here

Plant Information

Group: Asteraceae
Type: Perennials – Annual
Similar appearance to: Echinacea, Ox-eye Daisy, Michaelmas daisy.
Flowering: July-October
Position: Sun or Semi shade
Height: around 60-90cm
Larval food plant:
Nectar plant: Speckled Wood Butterfly, Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly , Peacock Butterfly , Gate keeper Butterfly, Red Admiral Butterfly, Moths and Bees
Photograph: Top 5th September 2013

Coneflower, Rudbeckia, Black-eyed Susan, Urban Butterfly Garden

Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm or Black-eyed Susan is one of the most widely grown Coneflower cultivars.

Coneflowers will grow in any well drained soil, but require an open sunny position, as most varieties grow tall and bushy reaching a height of around 60 to 90cm, the flowers measure around 8 to 13cm across with a prominent cone centre resembling giant daises.

Cultivating Coneflowers

The Coneflower is a fairly low maintenance plant, although if planted in a dry area, it is well worth giving it a mulch of garden compost or manure in the Spring, this will not only feed the plant but will help the soil retain plenty of moisture. Removing the dead flowers during the Summer months will encourage more new flowers.

Growing Coneflowers from seed

Growing from seed in pots or trays Coneflowers as a general rule can be sown from February onwards. Sow the seeds on the surface of some good moist free draining compost, and cover very lightly with more compost but do not completely cover the seeds. Place in a propagator or cover pots with a clear plastic bag and place in a bright position to help germination. With a temperature of 68-82F the seeds should germinate between 10 and 21 days.

Coneflowers-Echinacea garden flowers butterflies bees pollinating insects

Coneflowers like Echinacea are great plants for pollinating insects.

Scabious – Flowers that Attract Butterflies and Bees

about

Well known as a native wildflower, Scabious with its range of cultivated varieties and colours also makes it a traditional garden favourite. Its constant flowering throughout the summer months, makes it the perfect plant for when little else is flowering, such as in late July.

Scabious is a great choice for any wildlife garden, or meadow, its steady supply of nectar rich flowers will attract pollinating insects, like Butterflies and Bees.

Native Varieties

Wild native varieties like the common “Field Scabious” (Knutia arvensis) or the less common “Small Scabious” (Scabosa columbaria) can be found throughout England and Wales, flowering June-September they may be found on dry calcareous (lime or Chalk) grassland. Similar looking the two sometimes confused. Devil’s-Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) has smaller rounded flowers around 15-25mm across and is found in much damper conditions, than the Field or Small Scabious.

Field Scabious flower head

Scabious Information

Also Known As: Pincushion flower
Light: Full sun or partial shade
Sow seeds: February, March, April, May, June
Flowering: May – September or until the first frost
Height: Around 50-60cm
Soil: Well drained Lime-Chalk /Alkaline.

Well known varieties

Two of the most well known varieties are possibly Scabious ‘Blue Jeans’ and Scabious ‘Butterfly Blue’, their abundance of flowers throughout the summer makes these real garden favourites.

These and many more colours and varieties of Scabious are available Visit “Thompson & Morgan” here, to take a look

Scabious “Butterfly Blue Beauty”

General Plant care

New Scabious plants when large enough can be put out from April in a frost free position, always allow about a week for them to acclimatise and the risk of frost has passed before planting out 30-40 cm apart, varieties with large blooms may need light support if the weather is particularly wet or windy. Remove dead flowers (dead heading) during the growing season every week or so, new blooms will soon take their place.

In Autumn or when the Scabious plants have turned brown and died back they can be cut down to ground level, this can also be done in the spring, when plants can be propagated by division.

Propagation

To keep a stock of healthy plants, Scabious requires some propagation this is best done March-April by root division, this requires lifting and dividing young plants into one or two divisions and replanting, or replacing the older less vagarious growing plants.

Field Scabious in Meadow