Echinacea
             
                        purpurea
             
                        Primadonna®
Echinacea purpurea

Primadonna®

  • Full, vigorous plants
  • Clear single colors
  • Fast, enhanced germination rates >80%
  • Early to transplant
Crop Time
Spring: 24 - 27 weeks
Height ∅
30 ″ / 75 cm
Exposure
Sun
Seed Form
ApeX
Heat Zone
12-1
Hardiness Zone
3b-8b
Best Uses
Bedding, Cutflower, Landscape

Culture guide

Usage

Plants for the border, pot and container plants, medicinal plants, attractive for bees and butterflies, cut flower production

Sow time

January-June for flowering in pot from July onwards, limited flowering without vernalization, during with vernalization full flowering in next year

Sowing method

2-3 seeds per plug

Germination

10-14 days at 68-72 °F (20-22 °C). Supplemental lighting during germination speeds germination and uniformity of emergence. Keep seedlings uniformly moist, but do not over water

Growing on

Transplant seedlings into packs, 4" (10 cm) or 1.0 gallon containers (2-3 plants) when the 3rd pair of true leaves appears. Once plants have begun rooting out, grow on at temperatures of 50-55 °F (10-13 °C). Fertilize at 100-200 ppm calcium nitrate in a balanced formula on a weekly basis. For full gallon containers plant 3-5 plugs per pot.

Media

Use a well-drained, growing perennial substrate, pH: 6.0-6.5. Field: loamy sandy to sandy humus soils with good drainage. Standard fertilization: 80-100 g/m² slow release fertilizer.

Temperature

Grow at 15-18 °C or outdoors. In winter indoors frost free at 3-5 °C or outdoors. At mid December the plants start to grow for 10-12 weeks at 15-18 °C.

Fertilization

High fertilization levels are required.


Stage I Starts with the radicle breaking through the testa. The roots are touching the medium. Ends with fully developed cotyledons.
Stage II Starts from fully developed cotyledons. Ends with the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair.
Stage III Starts from the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair and ends with 80% of the young plants being marketable.
Stage IV All young plants are ready for sale and in the process of being hardened off. This stage lasts about 7 days.

The cultural recommendations are based on results from trials conducted under Central European conditions. Different conditions in other parts of the world may lead to deviations in results achieved.

Colors of the series