5 Orange-flowered Echinaceas to Discover

Echinacea 'Big Kahuna', a cheerful orange

Echinacea ‘Big Kahuna’ is covered in a multitude of large, dazzling mango-orange flowers from July to September. The flowers resemble daisies with a curious prominent reddish-brown centre. They attract butterflies and pollinating insects. The medium green lanceolate leaves are covered in rough hairs and are deciduous, as with all echinaceas. At a height of 50 cm, it is wind-resistant and fits well in both gardens and pots on balconies due to its compact size.

Echinacea ‘Big Kahuna’ is perfect for creating dynamic and colourful scenes. You can pair it with purple agastaches like agastache ‘Blue Boa’, California poppies ‘Orange King’ – Eschscholzia californica or the variety ‘Copper Swirl’, as well as echinaceas in a deep pink, such as Echinacea ‘Dark Shadows Wicked’. To lighten the overall effect, draw from our range of grasses and add, for example, Calamagrostis brachytricha – Feather Reed Grass.

Echinacea 'Hot Papaya', with cheerful flower pom-poms

The Echinacea ‘Hot Papaya’ showcases flowers resembling cheerful pom-poms from July to September. Ranging in colour from orange to red, they measure 6 cm in diameter. They certainly stand out with their fluffy shapes supported by sturdy stems adorned with medium green leaves. At a height of 80 cm, the Echinacea ‘Hot Papaya’ is suitable for borders or the back of flower beds. Like other echinaceas, it is easy to grow, thriving in sunny conditions with well-drained, rich soil.

In a flower bed, you might try pairing the Echinacea ‘Hot Papaya’ with hardy geraniums such as the hardy geranium cinereum ‘Jolly Jewel Night’ or with purple asters featuring yellow centres like the Aster amellus ‘Grunder’ to create beautiful contrasts. Another option is to combine it with a shrubby veronica – Hebe ‘Autumn Glory’.

Echinacea 'Hot Summer', a dazzling copper-red

Echinacea ‘Hot Summer’ thrives with numerous daisy-shaped flowers displaying a gradient of tones. These flowers emerge yellow, then turn orange before finishing in scarlet red. Their centre is large and brownish-red. Echinacea ‘Hot Summer’ blooms from June to August. The corollas of the flowers are fragrant, and the foliage is medium green. The stems reach a height of 90 cm.

In a border, pair Echinacea ‘Hot Summer’ with amaranths – ‘Green Cascade’ with long trailing panicles in pistachio green to create an original and exotic scene. You can also combine it with Kniphofia ‘Wrexham Buttercup’ for a mix of sunny and tangy tones. Another option is to pair the complementary colours of orange and blue by combining it with Mountain Cornflowers – ‘Montana Coerulea’ and blue grasses such as Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Heaven’.

Echinacea Julia, a changing orange

Echinacea ‘Julia’ is a compact variety, reaching a height of 45 cm, and bears daisy-shaped flowers from July to September in changing orange tones, ranging from rosy orange to golden mandarin orange. The 10 cm diameter heads are adorned with long trailing ligules. At the centre, there is a beautiful cone of bright orange and brown. It is prominent and bristly. Its flowers are slightly fragrant. The foliage is medium green. Echinacea ‘Julia’ is suitable for both garden and pot cultivation and looks stunning in a cut flower arrangement.

In a border, you can try pairing Echinacea ‘Julia’ with lady’s mantle and Stipa barbata or angel hair. It is also beautifully complemented by flowers of intense blue, such as Spanish love-in-a-mist ‘Midnight Blue’ – Nigella papillosa.

Echinacea purpurea 'Irresistible', large shimmering pom-poms

Echinacea purpurea ‘Irresistible’ produces large double pompom flowers in orange tones with beige, red, and coppery pink highlights. It blooms from July to September on dark green foliage. Reaching a height of 80 cm, it has a spread of 40 to 50 cm. Easy to care for, it fits well in borders and can be used as a cut flower.

In a border, it can be accompanied by other orange or red flowers of different shapes, such as bush salvias, gladioli, and gauras. It can also be paired with Echinacea purpurea Augustkönigin, Echinacea ‘Art’s Pride’, and grasses like Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Waldenbuch’.

For further reading

You can consult:

• our complete guide on planting and maintaining Echinaceas
• as well as our complete range of Echinaceas.