Coneflowers are a hardy and eye-catching addition to any garden

They tolerate dry, frosty and hot conditions and the long-stemmed flowers are good for cutting. Meet the resilient and eye-pleasing coneflowers.

The beautiful summer flowering echinacea purpurea pink flowers, also known as coneflowers.

Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea), in the daisy family, produce a lasting display from summer through autumn, attracting birds, butterflies and beneficial insects. As herbaceous perennials they die back in winter, returning in spring, so are best in cool and temperate climates. They tolerate dry, frosty and hot conditions and the long-stemmed flowers are good for cutting. As the flowers mature, the petals reflex then fall, exposing the bristly seed cones that persist until winter, providing additional interest. From the original purple coneflower that reached one metre in height, cross-breeding with other species has produced a wide colour range of pinks, white, yellows, orange and reds, as well as doubles and bicolours. Some have a honey scent and newer forms are more compact, reaching 50cm-60cm tall and wide. Fertilise in spring, water well during summer, and dead-head regularly to prolong flowering. Echinacea leaves, flowers and roots are used medicinally to treat skin conditions, colds, decrease inflammation and support immune functions, although scientific evidence is limited.

Healthy Choice

The Sunseekers collection of Echinacea are bred for compact form, bountiful flowers and petals that don’t reflex.

Echinacea ‘Blush’

Echinacea ‘Tequila Sunrise’

The six colours are snowy white, soft pinky-salmon, gold, pink, crimson and the multi-coloured Tequila Sunrise.

Echinacea ‘Sweet Fuchsia’

Echinacea ‘Citrus’

Q&A

Would inoculating a garden bed with symbiotic fungus assist in growing the likes of waratah? How could it be done?

Steve Dillon, Thirroul, NSW

Beneficial (Mycorrhizal) fungi live in association with plant roots, helping roots take up nutrients and water and receiving sugars in return. Healthy soils contain such fungi but you can buy them. Both plantingsystemsaustralia.com.au and biostim.com.au sell a mix with endomycorrhiza, ectomycorrhiza, trichoderma and beneficial bacteria. Most plants benefit, but Proteaceae family plants (which include waratahs) don’t have associated mycorrhizal fungi as they have proteoid roots that do a similar function.

Since removing a golden robinia, massive amounts of suckers are appearing in the lawn, beds and neighbours’ yards. Help!

Nelske Kelley, Adelaide

Treat suckers when small with glyphosate (Roundup, Zero) wipe-on gel or spray. Organic herbicides will shrivel suckers but won’t penetrate the surviving roots. You need to treat all suckers as they are of a huge, thorny robinia that is used as rootstock for grafted varieties. You might need to repeat next spring but after that the old roots should be exhausted.

Our previously magnificent roses are not as tall and have fewer flowers, despite regular fertiliser. Would the seasonal flowers we grow between them be competing?

Gary Wilson, Highfields, Queensland

Small annuals such as petunias and pansies should not compete much, especially if liquid fertilised monthly as they require. Roses have deep roots. Use a specialised rose fertiliser plus compost in spring and late summer. In future, prune by half in late January and the main prune in July. Do not use glyphosate anywhere near them.

Send your questions to [e-mail]. The best question for March wins the versatile STIHL GTA 26 garden pruner kit, worth $299 including battery and charger.

The STIHL GTA Garden pruner, worth $299.