skip to main content

Gardening in Canada

Coneflowers not doing well....

14 years ago

Something seems to have my Coneflowers this year. Almost all of them are looking mutated on the new growth and the lowest leaves are very limpid. No visible evidence of anything on the leaves or stems. I dug up two that were particularly bad expecting something had the roots but the roots were clean.

I'll take a sample to the nursery tomorrow but is anyone else having a similar issue? The rest of my gardens are doing very well but my Echinacea is sad!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

ferne
14 years ago
Don't know where you live, and you haven't given much detail...so a bit of a shot in the dark.

By mutation, I'm guessing, you mean the leaves don't look normal and are misshapen? Virus can cause misshapen leaves, as can aphids sometimes. If the lower leaves are truly limp, that suggests the plant isn't able to take up moisture. Could too much water could be causing them to rot? Coneflowers (Echinacea) are draught tolerant so I wouldn't expect them to be limp from heat or dryness as other things could be.
dahlitsa
14 years ago
How interesting! Mine are the same. I am in the Kitchener area.
Related Discussions
How do I transplant coneflowers plants?
Q
Comments (5)
in suburbia ... i could watch every transplant every day.. and coddle it all season long ... so it didnt matter if i took the soil or not ... on 5 acres ... they will be moved.. and watered once.. and most likely forgotten... ergo ... the bigger the soil ball... the less impact on the dormant plant.. the more i can ignore it ... and the easier it all is for the novice ... at a min .. on a mature coneflower.. i would take a volley to basketball wad of mother earth with me... nearly fool proof ... if you want a dozen more plants... de-nude it.. and pull them apart.. and make as many clumps as you want... because early spring.. is when you can do that.. if you tried that in august... they might not appreciate it .. this is a good plant to experiment.. and learn on.. since you will have to try real hard to kill it ... way back when.. i would dig a plant.. break it in half.. plant 1/2 ... then go to town on the other half.. and learn about spring dividing ... on a decent sized plant.. you could have a dozen thriving plants by fall ... of course.. it will take them a year or two to mature into large plants .... when in doubt.. perfect the TIMING.. and just do it ... early spring is the time to transplant and divide .... in my z5.. that would be april and two weeks into may... into 6/1, but you will need a little more TLC because the heat of summer will make watering harder ... ken ps: seriously .. take half.. and just keep throwing it onto the ground.. until all the soil falls off ... and the plant starts breaking apart ... and then replant all the little pieces ... and i bet a shiny dollar.. they all live ... and the neighbors will be wondering what the heck you were doing out there ... come on.. do it.. let us know.. lol
...See More
Do your coneflowers wilt in Zone 7?
Q
Comments (3)
No . . . the coneflowers hadn't just been transplanted. They are at the back of a perennial border and are even mulched to a depth of about two inches. The leaves curl inwards on my black eyed susans as well. Our house is in the middle of a three acre meadow that has no trees and my flower border faces directly south. I water them once a week in dry weather. This must be just due to the strength of the summer sun here because they perk up in the late afternoon. Thanks for your reply listing "Survivors". I'll keep it for future reference.
...See More
HUGE coneflowers
Q
Comments (14)
LOL I think the term coneflower is general and is used to cover both annual wildflowers and perennial domesticated types. Like rudebeckia, which I think of as referring only to my domesticated Black Eyed Susans, but which covers a lot of other plant territory besides. If they are anything like cannas, all you have to do is plant two or more types in your yard and wait a year or two. They hybridize on their own! Last year I planted King Hubert, tall dark leaved plants with red flowers, and Pretorias, short with green and yellow striped leaves and orange flowers. This year I have tall canna with dark, shadow striped leaves, and short canna with darker red in their striped leaves and red flowers. Go figure! Interesting what busy hummers, bees, and flutterbys can do with plants' genetic material!
...See More
How do I know my coneflowers are dead?
Q
Comments (14)
I wasn't sure that more that more than a few of my Echinacea would be returning until about 10 days ago here in zone 6a, when it became clear that most everything had survived and was coming back nicely (this includes approximately 30 two-year-old "Cheyenne Spirit" from seed as well as established clumps of other strains and the discount pots of "Pow Wow Wild Berry" from Lowe's that were planted last fall).
...See More
ianna
14 years ago
Not exactly having limp looking leaves but rather odd mishapen buds/preblooms yes. I've noticed these on several of my coneflower clumps located in various areas of the garden. However later blooms on 3 year old clumps don't look as mishapen as the younger ones. Other than looking mishapen, they are healthy. No rot. I suspect it's got more to do with the wet and cool weather.

On the other hand, my patch of blue thistles has been displaying problems. It looks all goosenecky (for lack of a better description) might be a fungus, a pest or a bacteria or mineral problems. Strange.
slbtab
14 years ago
I'm also having great problems with my coneflowers this year. I am torn between assuming that the lack of sun in Eastern Ontario this year is to blame and thinking that at least one of my patches has aster yellows disease. One of my patches has heads that are not maturing (changing color or developing petals) and for the couple of heads that have petals they are green and are not changing color.
ianna
14 years ago
It's not only the coneflowers that have been affected. I see some odd situations with my blue thistle. I just had to throw one away and noted that it's roots were affected by a spongy bulby thing. Could be bacterial or fungal.

Plus there's a proliferation of insects. One really odd one that leaves polka dotted chew marks all over my dahlias, shasta daisy and even a couple of coneflowers.

Oh - not to mention - aphids chewing up my pear tree.

So - we are hit by a pest/disease double whammy here. Cimate being too cool and wet and Ontario's antipescticide policy. Not that I would suggest Ont.'s pesticide law is wrong.

Ianna
tambo747
14 years ago
Well, this is my first year with coneflowers and Im having the same problem. I thought it was because they were young plants, but one never develope and flowerheads and the others seem to blacken and die before they have the chance to develop into flowers. The leaves are also limp and some of them curled. We have had late frosts and sooooo much rain, maybe that has something to do with it...?
Tammy

Related Stories

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Great Design Plant: Giant Coneflower, a True Exclamation Point

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Watch as towering stalks topped by yellow blossoms become a beacon for birds and insects in the midsummer garden

FLOWERS Get Coneflower Blooms All Summer Long

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Plant these 5 native species to bring beauty to the garden — and pollen to the insects — from June through August

GARDENING GUIDES Pacific Northwest Gardener: What to Do in September

Put in cool-weather veggies, fertilize your lawn and tidy the garden this month before chilly weather arrives

FEEL-GOOD HOME The Well-Stocked Minimalist

By Laura Gaskill

The trick is to have just enough of the right stuff at home — no more, no less. Here’s how to do it

GARDENING GUIDES Texas Gardener: What to Do in June

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Don't be discouraged by the dry summer heat — hardy plants, container gardens and smart watering can help landscapes thrive

0

GARDENING GUIDES Rocky Mountain Gardener: What to Do in July

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Keep the party going all summer long with smart watering methods and fertilizer. Get ready for next year and order bulbs now

0

GARDENING GUIDES Mid-Atlantic Gardener: What to Do in July

Seedpods, herbs and flowers galore take center stage in the garden this month

MOST POPULAR Spring Gardens Are Blooming — Here’s What to Do in April

By Annie Thornton

Get the guide you need for gardening in your U.S. region, with tasks, climate-appropriate plantings and more

GARDENING GUIDES Keep Your Cool in the Garden — Here’s What to Do in August

By Annie Thornton

Don’t let summer’s heat go to your head. These U.S. gardening guides will help you make sensible choices for all of your plantings

MOST POPULAR Enjoy Your Summer Garden — Here’s What to Do in July

By Annie Thornton

Our July gardening guides take the guesswork out of summer watering, pruning and planting. See our tips for your U.S. region

Sponsored

Fresh Pointe Studio

4 Reviews

Industry Leading Interior Designers & Decorators | Delaware County, OH

More Discussions

Elephant ears bulbs still connected to the old bulb...

2