Color Coded® One in a Melon Coneflower

Color Coded® Coneflowers are Echinacea hybrids in a range of colors. One in a Melon Coneflower has single petals in a delicate shade of melon orange surrounding a large cone. The color is subtle and cooling, just like a slice of melon on a hot summer day. One in a Melon will look great combined with hot-colored summer perennials in a traditional cottage garden or planted on a deck or patio as part of a container garden. 

The compact size and shorter stems of the Color Coded® series ensure that little extra staking or support is needed to keep the large flower stems upright. Coneflowers are a true North American native that supports wild wildlife in your garden. The flowers provide nectar for beneficial pollinators all summer long, the seedheads attract nonmigrating birds from fall to winter, and even the hollow flower stems house beneficial insects from winter to late spring. One in a Melon Coneflower would look great planted en masse as part of a naturalized planting or on the outside zones of a rain garden. It also looks at home as a thriller in a mixed seasonal container for your front step or deck.

Color Coded® One in a Melon Coneflower Care

Coneflowers require soil that drains well and is not heavy in texture. Once Echinacea has been established, this plant is very drought tolerant and dislikes soggy soil at any time during the year. Water newly planted coneflowers 2-3 times weekly for the first season to encourage deep, vigorous root growth. Mulch around the plant crowns with 3-4 inches of organic compost as the new growth emerges in spring. This will help the soil retain moisture longer and provide nutrients as the organic material decomposes. Full sun is needed for the best flowering, although part shade either early or late in the day is also acceptable. 

Coneflowers can be deadheaded during the first part of the summer to keep plants tidy and flowering well. Allow flowers to set seed late in the summer to attract wildlife into your garden for the fall and winter. Allowing spent foliage to remain on the plant through the winter provides a layer of insulation for the growth crown if you garden in the lower hardiness zones. 

Color Coded® One in a Melon Coneflower Spacing

The mature height for One in a Melon is 26 inches, with a spread of 20 inches. Space plants 18 inches apart on the center when planting in a large group or with other perennials. Coneflowers growing in containers require a pot with at least a 12-inch diameter.

Color Coded® One in a Melon Coneflower Information