Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
One in a Melon Coneflower: Cantaloupe Blooms Beside Purple
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One in a Melon coneflower has very large flowers, 5 to 5.5 inches wide, in a soft cantaloupe melon color with a matching melon-orange cone. The broad, overlapping petals are held out flat for a full, generous display, and the well-branched plants reach about 2 feet tall. The name is a pun, and so, frankly, is half of gardening.
One in a Melon at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Echinacea 'One in a Melon' |
| Flowers | Soft cantaloupe melon, 5 to 5.5 inches, with a melon-orange cone |
| Foliage | Dark green, coarse, lance-shaped to oval |
| Size | 24 to 26 inches tall, 18 to 20 inches wide |
| Bloom | Midsummer into early fall |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun to light part shade |
| Wildlife | Pollinators love it; birds eat the seeds |
A warm, gentle contrast
Orange and purple can be loud together. One in a Melon is the softer version: a muted, peachy melon that warms up a lavender bed without shouting. Planted beside violet English lavender, it reads as a sunset palette; next to white or pale pink lavender, it looks soft and summery. Its bloom starts in midsummer and runs into early fall, so it overlaps the end of lavender season and carries the bed long after the harvest.
The shapes contrast nicely too: big, flat daisies beside narrow lavender spikes. Place it behind or between lavender clumps, giving each lavender a ring of open air. Plan it in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Site: full sun for the most flowers; light part shade is tolerated.
- Soil: average to lean, well drained. Coneflowers dislike wet winter soil, as lavender does.
- Water: regular watering the first summer, then it handles heat and dry spells.
- Deadheading: cut faded flowers back to a side bud to extend bloom.
- Fall: stop deadheading late in the season and leave some seed heads standing.
For pollinators and finches
Coneflowers are among the best pollinator plants in a sunny garden, and One in a Melon is no exception. Bees and butterflies work the cones all summer. In fall, the seed heads feed birds, especially finches, which will happily perch on the stems and pick them clean. A lavender and coneflower planting can keep wildlife busy from early summer to winter.
The big flowers also cut well. Take stems when the petals have just opened flat.
The plug tray format
One in a Melon is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray, which suits growers, pollinator plantings and cutting rows. See the product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Does the color change as flowers age?
The flowers open in a soft cantaloupe melon. Like many coneflowers, color can soften as blooms age in strong sun.
Is it hardy in Michigan?
It is rated for USDA zones 4 to 8. Good winter drainage is the key to long life. Check your zone with the USDA Zone Finder.
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