Gertens Plant Finder

Group/Class:  Dark Shadows Series

Brand:  Terra Nova Nurseries

Description:

An exceptional variety with eye catching color; a strong, upright habit with dense, pine-green foliage; glowing, deep pink blooms with dark centers rise on chocolate brown stems; ideal for sunny borders and mixed containers; deadhead spent blooms

Ornamental Features

Dark Shadows™ Wicked Coneflower has masses of beautiful lightly-scented hot pink daisy flowers with dark brown eyes at the ends of the stems from mid summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its recurved narrow leaves remain green in color with curious grayish green undersides throughout the season. The dark brown stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Dark Shadows™ Wicked Coneflower is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Dark Shadows™ Wicked Coneflower is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Dark Shadows™ Wicked Coneflower will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity extending to 16 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 14 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Dark Shadows™ Wicked Coneflower is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.

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