Echinacea ‘Cotton Candy’

The Biggest Double Pompon Yet.

Blooms steadily from midsummer through early fall in most climates.

Plant Patent Applied For. Not another new Echinacea — the riches of this genus are just never-ending! And as always, not only is it a new cultivar, but a truly exciting combination of color, form, and gardenworthiness that you will find yourself craving for the sunny border or cutting garden.

‘Cotton Candy’ is a double-flowered, vivid pink Echinacea in the style of ‘Razzmatazz,’ but unlike that old favorite is tremendously improved in size and stamina. Its huge 4-inch blooms (starred with a small green center!) stand up to wind and rain beautifully, refusing to flop or drop their petals when the going gets rough. Borne on very thick, sturdy stems, they are long-lasting no matter what Mother Nature decides to throw their way. Of course, this also makes them even more long-lived in the vase, giving you a few extra days of their fresh beauty.

‘Cotton Candy’ is the product of master Dutch plantsman Arie Blom, so you can be sure the breeding is impeccable. It stands 34 inches high and about 30 to 32 inches wide, very well-branched and heavily budded. And once it begins flowering, it won’t quit for 3 months or more, carrying the sunny garden through the difficult days of late summer and early fall, when many displays are “between times.” And the faster you cut or deadhead the blooms, the faster new buds appear.

Plant ‘Cotton Candy’ among its cousins ‘Coconut Lime’ and Summer Sky™ in the sunny border, or as part of a native American grouping that might include Gaillardia, Coreopsis, and Muhlenbergia. Butterflies and bees adore this plant in summer, and birds feast on its drying cones in autumn. Tolerant of heat, humidity, poor soil, and (once established) drought, it is among the easiest and most dependable perennials to grow. Enjoy! Zones 3-9.