Ruby Giant Coneflower

• Partial Shade to Full Sun (3+ Hours Direct Sunlight)
• Mature Height 3 Feet
• Mature Width 2 Feet
• Growing Zones 3-8

Ruby Giant Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) can fill a garden bed or small meadow with large bright pink blooms with rich orange centers. Echinacea is native to most prairies and meadows of central and southeastern states. The plants also adapt well to drought, heat, and poor soil conditions. This coneflower boasts the benefits of all Echinacea, plus double-rowed blooms with strong stems.

The 36-inch stems need some strength to hold up the large (7 inches around), showy flowers that appear from summer through fall. Bees, butterflies, and birds flock to the flowers all season, and deer tend to avoid the plants. Planting a mass of Ruby Giants can enhance any small meadow, but even a single plant can serve as a focal point in a garden bed, landscape, or container. This stunning native perennial thrives in zone 3 through 8 gardens.

Ruby Giant Coneflower Care

Echinaceas do not need a lot of care. Plant your Ruby Giant in partial to full sun (at least 4 hours of sun a day) and soil that drains well. The plants are not picky about rocky dirt, but do not like wet, mucky soil. With this and its drought tolerance in mind, gardeners only need to water the plant every day or every other day for a week after planting, and gradually increase the time between waterings. By the time it’s established, and especially in its second year, the flower only needs watering if it has not rained for a few months.

Your coneflower should not need any fertilizing unless grown in very poor soil. It is better to just mulch around the plants each spring with compost. Deadheading, or removing faded blooms, can encourage more flowering. Cut down to just above a leaf on the stem that has a swollen bud. In late summer, leave some faded flowers on the plants for birds to enjoy come fall. Then, prune the plants down to just above the ground in late winter.

Ruby Giant Coneflower Spacing

For a mass of giant pink blooms, plant several Ruby Giants together. Space the plants about 2 feet apart from one center to the other.

SKU:

ECHRGQT