Sombrero Salsa Red coneflower

Sun

Full sun is best; tolerates light shade but may flower less and lean toward the light.

Water

Water regularly during establishment, letting the surface soil dry between waterings. Established plants tolerate short dry spells but flower better with occasional deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained loam, sandy soil or improved clay; average fertility and slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions suit it. Avoid soil that stays wet in winter.

Height

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m)

Spread

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m)

Flowers

Early summer into early autumn, with bright red ray petals surrounding a copper-brown central cone; older flowers can fade toward orange-red.

Foliage

Rough-textured, green, oval to lance-shaped leaves on upright, branching stems; dies back for winter.

Growth

Moderate; usually forms a flowering clump in its first growing season and fills out over the next two years.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.2 ft (0.37 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant with the crown level with the soil surface, allowing about 1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m) between plants.
• Water deeply during the first growing season whenever the root zone begins to dry.
• Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; avoid heavy feeding, which encourages weak, leafy growth.
• Keep mulch away from the crown, especially in wet-winter climates.
• Divide congested clumps in spring if flowering declines; staking is rarely needed in full sun.

Pruning. Remove spent flower stems just above a healthy leaf or side shoot to encourage further bloom, or leave some cones for birds. Cut dead stems back close to ground level in late winter or early spring before new growth develops.

Late winter

Cut down retained dead stems before new shoots emerge.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps once the soil is workable; apply a thin layer of compost.

Late spring

Check emerging shoots for slug and snail damage, and water new plantings during dry weather.

Summer

Deadhead faded flowers for repeat bloom and water deeply during prolonged dry spells.

Autumn

Leave some seedheads for birds and check that mulch is not covering the crown.

Winter

Keep the crown free of wet debris and address standing water around the planting.

• Plant in groups near the front or middle of sunny borders for a concentrated patch of red.
• Combine with fine-textured ornamental grasses for a compact prairie-style planting.
• Pair with blue or violet salvias and catmint for strong colour contrast.
• Grow in a large, freely draining container for summer colour on a sunny patio.
• Use alongside other single-flowered perennials in a bee and butterfly border.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden, Hot border, Small-space and Midwest prairie.

Plant it with: Perennial salvia, Catmint, Little bluestem, Prairie dropseed, Threadleaf coreopsis and Blazing star.

Wildlife: The open flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies. Retained seedheads may feed finches and other seed-eating birds; deer and rabbits can still browse young growth.

• Winter crown rot: avoid wet, compacted soil, keep mulch off the crown and improve drainage before replanting.
• Aster yellows: distorted greenish flowers and abnormal leafy growth cannot be cured; remove and discard affected plants promptly.
• Slugs and snails: protect emerging shoots by removing nearby hiding places and using wildlife-conscious controls where needed.
• Powdery mildew: provide full sun and space for airflow, water at soil level and remove badly affected foliage.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No part is generally regarded as poisonous, although eating plant material can cause digestive upset and sensitive people may react to plants in the daisy family.

• Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

  Typical plants have pink-purple petals and a taller, looser habit rather than the compact growth and red flowers of Salsa Red.

• Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata)

  Often has red flowers with yellow tips, distinctly toothed petal ends and a lower, rounder central disc rather than a prominent, prickly cone.

Echinacea comes from the Greek word for hedgehog, referring to the prickly central cone.

Propagation. Vegetative propagation is needed to preserve this cultivar; seedlings will not reliably match the parent. Division is normally done in spring, but check current plant breeders' rights or patent restrictions in your country before propagating.

Accepted botanical name

Echinacea

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.