Students for Stewardship The Cork Board
← Back to the library

Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea (eh-ki-NAY-see-ah pur-PUR-ee-ah)

Family: Asteraceae Native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

'Melllow Yellows' is an herbaceous perennial cultivar coneflower in the Asteraceae (daisy) family of which the parent plant is native to central and eastern USA. Wondering why there is an 's' at the end of Yellow? 'Mellow Yellows' is a variety of Echinacea purpurea that produces flowers that vary their color as they mature. Opening as a deep mango, the shades progress and mellow through shades of yellow from dark yellow to a canary yellow to a creamy pale yellow. A 'Mellow Yellows' garden has them all. Growing to a height of up to 2.5 feet, the flowers bloom from early summer through mid-fall. This plant prefers well-drained moist loams but is adaptable to various soil types. It is drought tolerant once established and can grow in full sun to partial shade. It is easily propagated by seed and will reseed itself in the garden. Removing spent flowers will encourage reblooming. This is a popular and long-blooming plant for use in the native garden, meadows, pollinator gardens and naturalized areas. Several pollinators are attracted to the flower, especially butterflies. Leave some flower heads on to produce winter seeds for the birds. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Japanese beetle and leaf spot are occasional problems. It is susceptible to aster yellows disease. More information on Echinacea purpurea .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 54 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft) Optimal soil pH Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Berlandiera lyrata Betonica officinalis Echinacea purpurea PowWow® Wild Berry 'PAS702917'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Perennial
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 6 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The medium green leaves are plentiful.
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Long-lasting; Showy
Flower form
Head; Solitary
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
From the palest cream to canary yellow to dark yellow, this coneflower can vary in color.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Stem detail
Long, sturdy stems.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
United States
Wildlife value
Butterflies, birds and bees are attracted to the flowers.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Songbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Colorful; Defines Paths; Easy to Grow; Textural; Wildlife Food Source
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Meadow; Naturalized Area; Patio; Pool/Hardscape; Recreational Play Area; Slope/Bank; Walkways
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Children's Garden; Cottage Garden; Cutting Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rain Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Border; Mass Planting; Small groups
Garden tags
#heat tolerant #cutting garden #showy flowers #drought tolerant #winter interest #deer resistant #long bloom time #bee friendly #butterfly friendly #bird friendly #pollinator plant #yellow flowers #border front #low maintenance #poolside planting #naturalized area #container plant #mass planting #frost tolerant #self-seeding #patio #rain garden #small groups #walkway
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Japanese Beetle
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Dry Soil; Heat; Rabbits
Particularly resistant to
Deer and rabbit resistant
Fire risk
medium flammability

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.