Echinacea purpurea Doubledecker - Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Doubledecker', also known as Rudbeckia purpurea 'Doubledecker', is a variety that stands out for its double heads, which, during the second year of flowering, have a second flower above the mother cone. The large heads are made up of pink-lilac ligules with a touch of red, around an orange-brown cone carried by sturdy stems. This tall, upright perennial blooms from July to September. Highly regarded by enthusiasts, it is ideal for cutting or drying. It is also a very resistant plant that adapts to difficult conditions, tolerating intense heat, humidity, and drought from time to time.

Originally from the western United States, from Georgia to Michigan, passing through Oklahoma and Ohio, Echinacea purpurea is a perennial with a strong character, unlike anything known, but which boldly colonizes rocky meadows, savannas, open woodlands, and roadside edges in its natural habitat. It has an upright tufted habit, reaching a height of 100cm (39in) and a width of 40cm (16in). This plant does not weaken or collapse, showing very good staying power. The deciduous, opposite, lanceolate, green leaves are covered in rough hairs. The fragrant flowering period lasts from July until the end of summer, accompanying the flowering of Inulas, asters, and ornamental tobaccos; it is very popular with butterflies. The branched, green-red stems are topped by a solitary inflorescence in a large, 15cm (6in) diameter head, with a prominent disk, like a pompon of tiny florets, orange-brown, and with thin, horizontally oriented, pinkish-red ligules. The fruit is an achene that releases seeds that birds love. This plant anchors itself firmly and deeply in the soil, thanks to its well-developed root system.

The 'Doubledecker' Purple Echinacea offers a very bright flowering display, pleasant to contemplate on slightly misty autumn days. It is used in mixed borders with other pink flowers whose forms contrast (ornamental tobaccos, daylilies, carnations), or in the company of Inulas, asters, yarrows, daisies, Echinops, Phlox, and lightens the scene by mixing in some ornamental grasses like Stipa tenuifolia, Muhlenbergia capillaris... Splendid in borders, the beautiful colour of the Purple Echinacea 'Doubledecker' is also very beautiful in fresh or dried flower arrangements.

The scent of Echinacea is not the same at every stage of flowering. Initially, when the florets are in an upright crown, the scent is barely perceptible. At full bloom, when the florets droop as if drained of their strength, it exhales a fine honey scent, very attractive to bees, butterflies, and other insects. As soon as the head is pollinated, the scent takes on a more vanilla note.

Benefits: In homeopathy, its root is used to fight colds and strengthen the immune system. These properties were already used by Native Americans. The name Echinacea comes from the Greek echinos, which means "hedgehog-like," and acea, which means "having the shape of," alluding to the hearts of the flowers. Purpurea means "purple."