Just a few thoughts: In an ideal world, plants should be tested thoroughly before being put on the market just like any other product, but there are so many variables with plants: region, heat tolerance, cold tolerance, different soil conditions, etc. New cultivars are typically produced by individuals and small nursery operations, not large corporations with lots of resources. So, to get your plants into QA so to speak, you have to rely on other nurserymen and universities around the country to test your plants for several years. That takes a huge effort and coordination with people outside the sphere of your control. If the margin of profit is small, the producer probably has to weigh whether it's worth it. Also, there are probably others working on the same type of hybridization, so there's pressure to get your cultivars to market before someone else does. I don't assume that every new cultivar will or should do well in my garden even if its touted to. That's why I come to sites like this to compare notes and I appreciate when others do share their experiences with the new cultivars. It gives me a clue (not a guarantee) whether a specific plant would also work for me. So, while I think alot of the info in this thread is valuable stuff, I really can't blame the failure of these plants for different individuals on conspiracy or greed. I just file it under: "Nice to know....maybe I'll wait and see how others are doing with these plants before I go out and purchase a slew of them."

I contacted Terra Nova, and received the following reply, from someone who has lived with the plants for some years. My guess is that my plant suffered from having been fertilized in the container, not a good idea. In any case, I think this response is well worth considering: I viewed the picture from the link you provided and without specific information from the person who has the plant it is challenging to make an accurate diagnosis. The individual with the plant has made no mention of how they are growing the plant, what kind of light, soil, fertilizer, watering practices are being used, or where they are located (are they in an area of high heat and humidity?) etc. Without this information it really doesnÂt provide a solid foundation upon which to build a diagnosis. You will note there a several folks on the forum making wild guesses as to what the issue may be, based on little to no information from the questioner. Our best guess, just from looking at the picture is that the drooping flower is from a fungal disease that is caused from overhead watering or heat and humidity this late in the summer or a combination of both. Another point to consider is how the plants were grown from the nursery that they were purchased at. Many nurseries will try to push foliage and flowers by using lots of fertilizer which tends to produce tall leggy plants and shoots that are not as strong as if they were grown under normal gardening practices. This is something we cannot determine looking at just pictures, but is a question that does need to be raised. Echinaceas by nature do not need lots of fertilizer and in fact like the soil fertility to be on the lean side. Before wild judgment calls are made against a plant or a nursery, going back to the basics and inquiring how a the Echinacea, or any plant for that mater, is currently being grown or how it was grown in a nursery will answer many questions. I happen to be fortunate to look outside my sales office each and view a clump of 10 Echinaca ÂTiki Torch in full blazing sun next to our driveway and they are thriving! No drooping stemsÂjust lots of flowers that greet me every day. This particular clump is grown in full sun, in regular soil that has good drainage and we donÂt fertilize. Regards, Erik Petersen Regional Sales Representative Terra Nova Nurseries

Meant to post a follow-up. I dug out 3 to 4 inches of the topsoil, then put the soapy waters solution on, then sprayed till the water filled up the hole, and then sprayed the bubbles/top layer off to the side. I filled it in with fresh dirt. It was like my own little Exxon Valdez clean up. LOL I've been keeping an eye on the foliage and I haven't seen any ill effects so far. I actually read an article online that there is some bacteria in soil that will actually process the oil into biomass and nutrients...who knows. Eric

Aacor11, depending on how extensive the damage is would determine how severe the treatment you might give. In the winter with colder temps your biggest enemy is probably dampness. If you can't tell the extent of damage or suspect its worse than you can see, you might have to pull the bulb, rinse it off to decide. If it's not too bad, you can use a mild bleach solution (different ppl use different %), but when confronting severe damage I have used up to 50/50 for 5 minutes on the basal plate and damage parts only - never the top where the leaves grow. Then let it dry completely.when faced with a bulb that had extensive damage I place it in a baggie with damp sphagnum moss, blow air into it and place it on the fridge for warmth (similar to chipping). The sphagnum has natural antibacterial properties that will prevent rot. If not that severe treat all damaged area with cinnamon and wait a few days before replanting.