While perhaps not brand-new, these coneflowers were new to our trials in 2019. They all show great promise with just one year under observation.

1. ‘Julia’ is another lovely coneflower from the Butterfly™ series that features deep orange-to-pink rays and cones reminiscent of monarch butterflies. A fuchsia nimbus radiates from the cone, softly coloring the base of the horizontal rays. The rich color eventually fades but is satisfying to the end. ‘Julia’ sports 3-inch flowers and will ultimately grow to be 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide.

2. If forced to describe the flower color of Lakota™ Fire succinctly, I’d probably say orangey pink. To be fair, this new seed strain features a mix of lush colors—bright orange, deep watermelon pink, red, and peachy pink. The various red hues are pretty individually and stunning as a whole from early summer to frost. The cheery 3½-inch flowers feature nearly flat rays. Lakota™ Fire was 15 inches tall and wide last year and won’t get much larger.

3. Luminescent ‘Golden Skipper’ from the Butterfly™ series has sunny lemon yellow rays and yellow-gold cones from early summer to frost. I’m a big fan of yellow coneflowers unless they’re brassy yellow—isn’t that what black-eyed Susans are for? It has 3-inch flowers and will ultimately be 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide.

4. Last summer I was impressed with Kismet^® White (E. ‘TNECHKW’), which is the best white coneflower I’ve seen in some time. The bushy compact habit is crowned for over three months with an abundance of pure white flowers with green cones. The ray florets are held flat and fade with a yellowish tinge. Kismet^® White was 16 inches tall and 13 inches wide its first summer and should only get a tad taller at 18 inches.

5. The sultry vermilion flowers of Sombrero^® Sangrita (E. ‘Balsominita’) make me swoon. The eye-catching flower show, with scores of 3-inch single flowers, energizes the summer garden right up to frost. Bushy, red-stemmed plants (20 inches tall and wide) complete the vibrant picture.

6. Kismet^® Yellow (E. ‘TNECHKY’) also put on an amazing show with scores of vibrant golden yellow—not brassy—flowers from early summer to frost. The Kismet^® Series offers heavy flower production, reliable first-year bloom, and compact habits.

7. ‘Sensation Pink’ was one of the very best coneflowers in 2019, notable for vibrant magenta-pink flowers held on purple stems and a robust habit to 14 inches tall and wide. It blooms bountifully from early summer to frost; the flowers hold their color for a long time before fading to a pretty lavender-pink.

See more about coneflowers in What’s New with Coneflowers?

Richard Hawke is plant evaluation manager at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois.

Photos: Danielle Sherry

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon

The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Doug Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area.

Buy at Amazon

Corona® Multi-Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Longer Service Life: The blade of this round small shovel is made of carbon steel, which can effectively improve the hardness by high temperature quenching, and the surface has anti-rust coating to avoid rusting. In the process of use when encountering hard objects will not bend and deformation. Sturdy Structure: The small garden shovel with D-handle, ergonomically designed grip can increase the grip of the hand when using, the handle is made of strong fiberglass, will not bend and break under heavy pressure. Quick Digging: Well-made digging shovel has a sharp blade, and the round shovel head is designed to easily penetrate the soil and cut quickly while digging to enhance your work efficiency.

Buy at Amazon