Knock 'em Red Coneflower: Glowing Red Daisies Beside Lavender

Knock 'em Red coneflower has single, daisy-like flowers about 4 inches across, with broad ray petals held out flat around a raised, spiny, dark brown cone. They open deep crimson, brighten to a glowing red and age toward mauve before dropping. The plant branches well from the base into an upright clump 20 to 24 inches tall, and its strong stems stay upright even in bad weather.

It is a straightforward, sturdy coneflower with a color that lives up to the name.

Knock 'em Red at a glance

Red against purple

Red and purple are neighbors on the color wheel, and together they make a rich, saturated combination rather than a soft one. Knock 'em Red opens in early July while lavender is still in bloom, so the two overlap, and the coneflower keeps going after the lavender is cut. Its flat, round flowers also contrast with lavender's slender spikes. At about 2 feet, it fits the middle of a bed or between groups of lavender.

Both plants want sun and drainage, and both bring in bees and butterflies. Plan your drifts in the Companion Plant Planner.

Planting and care

• Timing: plant by late summer so roots establish before winter.
• Soil: average to lean, well drained. Hybrid coneflowers are most often lost to wet winter soil.
• Deadheading: cut spent flowers back to a side bud to keep new ones coming.
• Heat: it thrives in heat, though color is richest in moderate temperatures.
• Fall: leave stems and some seed heads standing for winter interest and finches. Avoid heavy mulch over the crown.
• Watch for: aster yellows, which causes distorted green flowers. Remove affected plants.

Fresh and dried

Knock 'em Red is rated good both as a cut flower and dried. For fresh stems, cut when the petals are fully open. For drying, let the cone mature, then pull the petals and dry the spiny cones for rustic arrangements with dried lavender. The flowers have a faint, lightly sweet, honey-like scent. The Cut Flower Planner can help you plan a cutting row.

The 72-cell plug tray

Knock 'em Red is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, a practical way to plant drifts through a lavender border or pot up your own stock. See the product page for current availability.

Frequently asked questions

Why do the flowers turn pinkish?

That is natural aging. Flowers open crimson, glow red, then shift toward mauve before they drop.

Do deer eat coneflowers?

Knock 'em Red is deer resistant, a good match for lavender in open gardens.

Keep exploring

• Knock 'em Red Coneflower 72-Cell Plug Tray
• Companion Plant Library
• Companion Plant Planner
• Cut Flower Planner