another echinacea question

[madgardener]

At werk (Lowes) we got in these "Magnus" coneflowers. And "White Swan". First to fill youse in.....these plants have CRINKLED, scratchy leaves. HUGE things. not pointy like normally found on these plants. But four to five inches wide and puckered like some mature Hosta's do. Both the White Swan and the Magnus (if this is what they are) have their flowers about four inches no more than six inches set and the flowers are gigantic. The heads of both of them range in size from 2 1/2 inches across to 4 1/2 inches across!!

The plants on some have branched and the flowerheads are just as huge, and the stems are very hairy and scratchy and stiff and hold the flowers quite well at these angles. these plants came from Stacey's greenhouses in South Carolina (yeah, we don't normally get Stacey's flowers now, Home Depraived does now, but our perennial provider ran outa plants and this is who we got a shipment from). Are these Magnus normal or have they mixed up a shipment of another variety like Ruby Star and Kim's Knee high? These aren't even knee high. They're more like 18 inches at the MOST. Most of the pots of plants are good to even hit a foot tall.........and when planted in the garden, reckon these will lengthen upwards? I hadda ask! madgardener still in the dark about Squire's offering position (it's down to two people, him and another driver.........:(

[escapee]

Chances are, since this is probably their tenth turn over in their greenhouses or fields is that they used a growth inhibitor so plants will remain small, but force fed them so they'd come into color for market. I don't know what chemicals they are using now, but when I was a grower we used Bonsai or Bnine or a few others to keep, say, mums short, but in full color.

As always, it's always better to buy plants in bud, not in flower, but this is what your plants sound like. Forced, but held back by chemical control. Ask the grower next time.

I have 'Magnus' and it is at least 4 feet tall, 'White Swan' is not as tall, but still at least 3 feet.

V

to fill youse in.....these plants have CRINKLED, scratchy leaves. HUGE things. not pointy like normally found on these plants. But four to five inches wide and puckered like some mature Hosta's do. Both the White Swan and the Magnus (if this is what they are) have their flowers about four inches no more than six inches set and the flowers are gigantic. The heads of both of them range in size from 2 1/2 inches across to 4 1/2 inches across!!

stems are very hairy and scratchy and stiff and hold the flowers quite well at these angles. these plants came from Stacey's greenhouses in South Carolina (yeah, we don't normally get Stacey's flowers now, Home Depraived does now, but our perennial provider ran outa plants and this is who we got a shipment from). Are these Magnus normal or have they mixed up a shipment of another variety like Ruby Star and Kim's Knee high? These aren't even knee high. They're more like 18 inches at the MOST. Most of the pots of plants are good to even hit a foot tall.........and when planted in the garden, reckon these will lengthen upwards? I hadda ask!

two people, him and another driver.........:(

[madgardener]

thanks Vito, I was wondering if I was speaking to an empty room..............I haven't bought these yet, but am wondering if I should get one of each to release into the non-confines of my western bed where the garter grass died a horrible death. Of course I can't afford to buy any plants at the moment, but these leaves on the plants are so awesome.......I'm just floundering right now.....my gardens are in the yuck stage.........the swamp sunflower are EVERYWHERE, (do you want seeds to scatter in the far back of your yard for the birds to feast on next August?) once they start flowering, the finches will be here by the hordes. There is that at least to say for these things. But invasive? Were it not for the fact that they are really easy to rip out...................... thanks for hollering back at me! maddie

[escapee]

The one good thing about echinacea is that it does look good this time of the tangles and brambling gardens of summer. I cut all of mine back about three weeds ago, side dressed them all with nice fertilizer and they are all flowering again. They do that all summer.

Now, for the swamp sunflowers. They come up everywhere in the back and right now the finches are swinging on the plants by the droves. I have one which came up in the front garden and it's so huge, I limbed it up and it is now a ten foot tall sunflower tree! People stop and look at it like I'm crazy, but there's finches and chickadees on that there plant!

I say, buy one of the 'Magnus.' I am not all that happy about 'White Swan.'

Vito