The orange color of the new coneflowers got my attention when I stopped by a nursery earlier this month. I was ambivalent about adding another echinacea to my old ones (Echinacea purpurea) which have spread quite a bit over the years. I was told that this new hybrid would be different.

The plant I purchased was grown in Kensington, Conn. It came with a tag that said, "Another exciting orange coneflower from ItSaul Plants. A prolific bloomer, with intense orange, fragrant flowers. The sturdy stems grow 36 - 40' tall. Plant in average, moderately moist, well-drained soil. Propagation is prohibited."

It is too early for me to know how well this Echinaceae Sundown will do in my garden.
There are not many buds on the plant right now ; so I'm not sure how prolific the blooming will be, although there's a good sign of new growth (new leaves at the base of the plant). The fragrance has been very mild. However, the bright orange petals are beautiful and very appealing, especially in the afternoon sun.

Echinacea is also very appealing to bees and butterflies, and I have yet to see one on my new sundown.

Sundown is a registered trademark name of this hybrid echinacea while its actual registered cultivar name is Evan Saul, after the son of Richard Saul of the Saul Brothers nursery in Atlanta, Georgia, according to Paghat's garden.