Coneflower PowWow ‘Wild Berry’

* Common name: Purple coneflower PowWow® ‘Wild Berry’

* Botanical name: Echninacea purpurea PowWow® ‘Wild Berry’

* What it is: A compact  new perennial coneflower with bright rosy-purple petals ringing a central golden cone. PowWow® ‘Wild Berry’ is particularly short, stocky and long-blooming, often in color from late June through August. It’s a variety of a U.S. native species and is tough in heat and drought.

* Size: 2 feet tall. Space 2 feet apart.

* Where to use: Perennial borders, cut-flower gardens and any sunny bed or bank are all ideal locations. A line of them also looks nice along a hot, sunny driveway. Full sun is best. Avoid wet clay.

* Care: Keep damp the first season, then water usually not needed. Scatter a balanced, organic granular fertilizer over the bed early each spring. Snip off flower stems after bloom to encourage more flowering. Cut all brown growth to ground at end of winter. Can be divided in early spring before new growth begins.

* Great partner: Purple and blue sun-loving perennials are ideal partners, such as salvia, Russian sage, catmint, iris and lavender. Coneflowers also pair well with ornamental grasses and blue-tinted evergreen junipers, hollies and cedar.