Fresco® Apricot Coneflower

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-2.5 Feet

Mature Spread

1-2 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 9

Fresco® Apricot Coneflower is all about those large, frilly double blooms that open in soft apricot and keep shifting through peach, butterscotch, and hints of coral as they mature. The plant stays tall and narrow, displaying a clean vertical line of flowers. This Fresco® Series selection was bred for long bloom and strong crown count. We’ve had the best results using it in the mid-border where it can rise as a color column through lower mounds.

This is an herbaceous, deciduous perennial that dies back for winter and returns a little late in spring compared to some neighbors. Echinacea is a North American genus and typically handles heat and humidity well once established, plus it’s a solid pollinator plant and often left alone by deer. The stems are made for cutting, and leaving a few later seed heads adds winter texture and can draw birds. Plant it between ornamental grasses for movement, repeat it in a hot curbside bed, or use a few in large pots where the flower stems can sit above trailing companions.

Fresco® Apricot Coneflower Care

Plant this echinacea in full sun (6+ hours) for the best stem strength and heaviest flowering. It prefers well-drained soil that’s on the average to slightly lean side; a sandy loam is ideal, but it will handle clay if water doesn’t linger. Soil pH in the slightly acidic to neutral range (about 6.0–7.0) keeps growth steady.

Water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry, soaking the root zone so moisture reaches deeper rather than just wetting the surface. Feed lightly in spring with a balanced fertilizer or a thin layer of compost, and skip heavy fertilizing since it can trade flowers for soft growth. After frost, the plant goes dormant and the top growth can be left standing until late winter for seed heads and a little structure.

Deadhead the first wave by snipping stems back to a set of leaves to keep new buds coming, or leave select flowers to finish and become seed heads later on. If the clump gets crowded, divide in early spring (or early fall in milder areas), but avoid planting the crown too deeply when re-setting divisions. In containers, keep drainage sharp and protect the pot from repeated freeze-thaw cycles in winter.

Fresco® Apricot Coneflower Spacing

Space plants about 20 inches apart so air moves through the stems and the clumps fill in without rubbing. For containers, a 16–20 inch pot is a good match for one plant, or use a larger bowl if you’re pairing it with spillers.

Pair Fresco® Apricot Coneflower with salvia and yarrow for a dry-friendly, long-blooming mix that echoes the warm tones without competing. In containers, combine it with calibrachoa for a trailing edge and coleus for foliage contrast once summer heat settles in.

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