Digging deeperPlant Library

Flame Thrower Coneflower flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Description:

Fragrant, bright bicolor gold and red flowers with dark center cone; great for flower arrangements; attracts pollinators and feeds the birds at winter; use in naturalized areas

Ornamental Features

Flame Thrower Coneflower has masses of beautiful lightly-scented gold daisy flowers with red overtones, dark red eyes and red centers at the ends of the stems from mid summer to early fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its pointy leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Flame Thrower Coneflower is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting birds and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Flame Thrower Coneflower is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Flame Thrower Coneflower will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Flame Thrower Coneflower is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.