Green Envy Coneflower

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

1-2 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 9

This is not your usual Echinacea. It has eye-catching, greenish-white petals with pink tones that change from rounded to elongated over time. As the flower matures, its deep-green cone transforms to dark purple. Collectors seek 'Green Envy' coneflower for its unique form and color. It is the perfect size, growing 24-36 inches high with large blooms that measure 4.5-inches across. This plant is not only showy but vigorous, being tolerant of drought, deer, heat, humidity, and poor soil; it blooms from midsummer to frost.

'Green Envy' is fragrant. The plant has an upright growth habit that never needs staking. This well-branched beauty has a medium growth rate. It attracts pollinators in summer and its seeds provide food for finches in winter. Native to North America, it was discovered by Piet Oudolf and introduced by New York party planner, Mark Veeder. With stately stems, the flowers are beautiful in bouquets. Grow them in borders or in containers as a stunning focal point. They are gorgeous in a mass planting, working well in cottage-garden-style gardens or in more contemporary spaces. Try massing 'Green Envy' with yellow flowers such as black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) or purple ones like Russian sage (Perovskia). The flowers are suitable for drying and preserving.

Green Envy Coneflower Care

Easy to care for, this plant thrives on neglect. Plant it in any type of soil that is well drained. It has average water needs -- for best results, water regularly being careful not to overwater. Echinacea are not heavy feeders. Treat them with a slow-release fertilizer before the new leaves emerge. In overly rich soil, the plants become leggy. They thrive in part sun to sun.

Removing spent flowers will encourage the plant to rebloom. Divide overcrowded clumps about every four years. They need very little winter care, but if planted in containers, bury the pots in a hole or cover them with mulch. They are hardy in containers down to zone 5. Being drought tolerant, they are good plants for containers, but don’t allow them to dry out too much – water them when the top of the soil feels dry. Feed them with a balanced fertilizer.

Green Envy Coneflower Spacing

With a spread of 12-24 inches, they should be spaced in the landscape at least 12 inches apart. Proper spacing will increase air circulation to keep the leaves dry and avoid the spread of disease. Likewise, choose a container large enough that you can maintain proper spacing.