Botanic name: Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus'

Common name: Purple cone flower

Size: 3 feet high, 1 foot wide

Echinacea purpurea, the species plant, has petals that droop.

Favored growing conditions: Well drained soil in full sunwill tolerate part shade if the plant gets at least 4 hours of sun including the noon hour when the sun is the strongest.

Flower color: Rose-pink with rusty-orange cone at center. Flowers from mid to late summer.

Hardiness: Zones 4 - 8

Pros: Purple Coneflowers are low-maintenance perennials you can pretty much forget about them from the time they come up until the time they get killed by the first hard frost. They have a long period of bloom, and the seed-heads are attractive as the bloom goes by. 'Magnus' is a good height, and the petals are non-drooping as compared to the species plant. (See photos for comparison)

Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' growing with Liatris, 'Moonbeam' Coreopsis, and Prince Aster

Cons: Echinacea will self-seed with joyous abandonyou will have to joyously weed out the seedlings.

Comments: For the best effect, plant Echinacea in large groups (five or more plants) spaced 12 to 18 inches apart.

Suggested companion plants: Liatris, daylilies, stokesia, and other mid-summer bloomers. Also good next to Siberian Iris, which bloom earlier.