Salsa Red Echinacea
(Commonly sold as Sombrero® Salsa Red Coneflower)
Taxonomy
- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (vascular plants)
- Superdivision: Spermatophyta (seed plants)
- Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering plants)
- Class: Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons)
- Subclass: Asteridae
- Order: Asterales
- Family: Asteraceae
- Subfamily: Asteroideae
- Tribe: Heliantheae
- Genus: Echinacea
- Species: Echinacea purpurea (cultivar group)
- Cultivar: ‘Salsa Red’ (Sombrero® series)
Common Names by Region
- Salsa Red Coneflower
- Red Coneflower
- Sombrero Salsa Red Echinacea
- Purple Coneflower (general species reference)
Description
Overall Form
Salsa Red Echinacea is a compact, herbaceous perennial selected for vivid saturated red blooms and strong garden performance. Plants form upright clumps with sturdy stems that hold flowers well above the foliage.
Flowers
- Petals are bright red to scarlet with warm orange undertones.
- Prominent spiny cone centers shift from orange to bronze as they mature.
- Blooms are daisy-like but thicker and more durable than many wild forms.
- Long bloom period from early summer into fall if deadheaded.
Foliage
- Lance-shaped, slightly rough-textured green leaves.
- Basal clumping habit with branching flowering stems.
- Moderate drought tolerance once established.
Size
- Approx. 18–24 inches tall.
- 18–24 inches wide.
- Compact compared to many traditional coneflowers.
Known Range
- Hardy throughout most of North America in USDA zones ~4–9.
- Widely used in ornamental gardens, pollinator plantings, and restoration-style landscapes.
- Performs especially well in areas with warm summers and well-drained soils.
Care / Habitat
- Light: Full sun preferred (6+ hours daily).
- Soil: Well-drained; tolerates average to moderately poor soils.
- Water: Moderate during establishment; drought tolerant afterward.
- Spacing: 18–24 inches for airflow and strong clump development.
- Companions: Ornamental grasses, salvias, rudbeckia, and pollinator-focused plantings.
Propagation / Reproduction
- Division every 3–4 years to maintain vigor.
- Seed propagation possible but cultivars may not come true to type.
- Nursery production typically via vegetative propagation for uniform color and height.
Pests / Diseases / Threats
- Occasional powdery mildew in high humidity with poor airflow.
- Japanese beetles may feed on petals in some regions.
- Root rot possible in consistently wet soils.
- Deer resistance is moderate — young plants may still be browsed.
Additional Notes
- Highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
- Seed heads provide winter interest and food for birds if left standing.
- Strong candidate for low-maintenance landscapes and pollinator corridors.
- The saturated red tone holds better in sunlight than many older red cultivars.
Maintenance / Management
- Deadhead for prolonged flowering, or leave spent cones for winter ecology.
- Cut back stems in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges.
- Avoid over-fertilization; excessive fertility can reduce flowering performance.
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