Pollinators love echinacea (coneflower) and the sign in the garden centre was not kidding! I picked three different echinaceas and was trundling them along in a shopping trolley and the sweet bumblebees and harmless hoverflies just kept on coming and I was wondering if I was going to have a car full of pollinators on my drive home. A bit of a trolley shake made them head for pastures new but it was delightful, really it was. The plant I am going to talk about here is Echinacea 'Delicious Candy'. It's such a beautiful colour.
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| Echinacea 'Delicious Candy' enjoyed by White-tailed Bumblebee |
Please, grow plants attractive to pollinators. Save our pollinators.
The label says: "The stunning fluorescent pink flowers are an amazing addition to your garden. Flowering from mid to late summer, it will attract bees to your garden. The attractive dark green leaves and stems have a compact habit. It is hardy and foliage will die down in autumn. In other words, it's a hardy herbaceous perennial."
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| Echinacea 'Delicious Candy' enjoyed by White-tailed Bumblebee |
The label goes on to say that it achieves a height of 60cm (24in) and spread of 40cm (16in). It grows well in full sun and partial shade, in well-drained soil. The old flowers should be deadheaded (removed) to encourage repeat flowering.
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| Echinacea 'Delicious Candy' enjoyed by White-tailed Bumblebee |
Echinacea .Delicious Candy' is, according to the label, ideal for pots or the border. Mine is going in a north-facing border BUT, importantly, that border gets plenty of sunshine from late morning to late afternoon. There are plenty of buds developing at the base of the plant so I am looking forward to a long flowering period from it.
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| Echinacea 'Delicious Candy' |