Echinacea Bravado

The improved coneflower — bred for impact. Where the species form can sometimes look a little swept-back, Bravado holds its soft rosy-purple petals flat and horizontal, creating a wide, open daisy shape with a much larger visual surface area and a more commanding presence in the border.

Exceptionally large blooms at 4–5 inches across, rising to 90–120cm on sturdy self-supporting stems. The prominent coppery-orange central cone remains attractive long after the petals fade, providing architectural winter interest and a vital seed source for finches. Listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators.

• Echinacea purpurea 'Bravado' — Hardy Perennial (H5)
• Height: 90–120cm | Flowers: July–September
• Approximately 30 seeds per packet
• Sow indoors February–April at 20°C; surface sow with fine vermiculite
• Full sun; deep, fertile, well-drained soil
• Drought-tolerant once established — a late riser in spring, patient with it
• Leave seed heads standing over winter for birds and structure
• RHS Plants for Pollinators listed

Grow it with Rudbeckia Marmalade for a late-summer border of intense purple and glowing gold that is as good for wildlife as it is for the eye.