Echinacea Sombrero® Salsa Red

Echinacea Sombrero® Salsa Red: Fiery Scarlet on Sturdy Stems

Bright red petals that sometimes drift toward deep orange, like the heat level was set to surprise me. This coneflower brings the spice and keeps it coming all summer. MILD IS NOT AN OPTION.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Echinacea hybrid 'Balsomsed'
• Common Name: Coneflower
• Series: Sombrero®, a Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 61–66 cm (24–26 in)
• Spread: 41–56 cm (16–22 in)
• Flowers: Bright red petals, sometimes edging toward deep orange, around an orange-brown cone, up to 7.5 cm (3 in) across
• Bloom Time: Early summer to early fall (June to September)
• Foliage: Dark green, on a sturdy, upright clump
• Features: Good cut flower
• Plant Patent: USPP 23,105

Where to Plant: Plant it in the middle of a sunny border, in a hot-colour bed or in a large container. It is also a solid choice for a pollinator garden or a cut-flower bed.

Companion Plants: Amsonia 'Blue Ice' opens blue stars in May and June at 30 to 40 cm, before the red coneflowers begin. Anemone 'Honorine Jobert' stands at 90 to 120 cm with white flowers in September and October. Trollius 'Lemon Supreme' adds yellow globes in May and June. With sun or part sun, this group covers spring to fall.

Plant Care: Give it full sun for the best flowering, in average, well-drained soil. It will take a little part shade. Avoid low spots where water sits through winter, especially in heavy clay. Water regularly the first season, then only during long dry spells. Deadhead to keep new flowers coming. Leave the last seed heads standing for winter interest and the birds, then cut the stems back in early spring. Divide in spring if the clump becomes crowded.

History: Sombrero® Salsa Red is a Darwin Perennials introduction, part of a series bred for compact, well-branched, heavy-flowering coneflowers. Its Echinacea ancestors are North American prairie wildflowers, and the genus name comes from the Greek word for hedgehog, for the prickly cone.

Final Thoughts: Pair it with blue flowers for a combo that wakes up the whole street. EXTRA HOT, NO REFILLS NEEDED.