Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’

Echinacea Coneflower

Latin name: Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’
Common name: Coneflower
Flowers: Flowers the first year in a wide range of bloom colors, including purple, pink, red, orange, yellow, cream or white ray flowers with a brown cone12
Fruit: Inconspicuous12
Height & Width: 1’-2.5’ x 1’-2’12
Type: Herbaceous perennial12,20
Habit: Bushy, upright20
Wetland indicator category**: UPL17

Texture: Medium19
Growth rate: Medium19
Light: Full sun to part shade12,20
Moisture: Dry to medium12
Soil*: Tolerates wide variety of soil types: clay soil, dry soil, shallow-rocky soil12
Zones: 4-912
Origin: Central to Eastern United States, including South Carolina16
Ecosystem benefits: Attracts birds and butterflies12. Often pollinated by bees20. Seeds provide winter food for finches and other birds19.

Features: Wide range of flower colors on well branched, durable plants. The variety of intense, bright flower colors adds aesthetically pleasing elements to the garden from mid-summer through fall20. Attracts birds, bees, and butterflies for pollination12. Spent blooms often left on plants so birds can use the dried seeds for winter food. The dried flower heads are sometimes left intact to provide architectural interest in the winter19. Tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and poor soil12.

Siting: Easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. It can handle light shade, but grows best in full sun. Offers a wide range of uses from the perennial border, in a mass landscape planting, in a butterfly garden, or as a cut flower20.

Care: Plant crown at soil level18. At planting, water the roots and surrounding area slowly and deeply. Keep soil moist until plant is established, then apply enough water to thoroughly moisten the root zone when the soil is dry or during drought. Modify water recommendations to reflect site drainage and rainfall. Apply 3” of mulch over the planted area. Do not allow mulch to touch the plant stems18. Ensure soil is well drained. Divide clumps when they become overcrowded (about every 4 years). Plants rebloom well without deadheading, however prompt removal of spent flowers encourages continued bloom and improves general appearance12.

Pests: No serious insect or disease problems12. Plants are relatively pest resistant if cultural preferences are met.

This plant does not appear on the following invasive plant lists on (2/19/2016):
X USDA SC Invasive Plant Species Web site at http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/main.shtml  
X SC Exotic Plant Pest Council Web site at http://www.se-eppc.org/southcarolina/ 

Sources:

Image source: http://i.parkseed.com/images/xxl/51231-pk-p1.jpg 

Sources 1-18 found on Sources page

19. Perennial Resource. Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’. Retrieved from http://www.perennialresource.com/encyclopedia/view/?plant=2320

20. All-America Selections. 2013 AAS flower award winner. Retrieved from http://all-americaselections.org/winners/details.cfm?WinID=498