Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Raspberry Beret Coneflower: Low Pink Pompoms for the Front Row
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Raspberry Beret coneflower is short, wide and loaded with flowers. Each fully double bloom is about 4 inches across, with broad raspberry-pink petals that spread out nearly flat around a shaggy, domed pompom a shade deeper. Heavily branched stems carry 4 to 7 flowers each, so at peak the plant becomes a broad, rounded cushion of pink.
Raspberry Beret at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Echinacea 'Raspberry Beret' |
| Flowers | Fully double, intense raspberry pink, about 4 inches |
| Foliage | Green, lance-shaped |
| Size | 18 to 20 inches tall, 22 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early July, peaks late July, long blooming |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun to light part shade |
| Fragrance | Faint, lightly sweet and honey-like |
Made for the front of a lavender hedge
Most coneflowers are tall enough to block whatever is behind them. Raspberry Beret stays under two feet and spreads about as wide, which makes it one of the few that can go in front of a lavender hedge. Its raspberry pompoms sit just below the purple spikes, adding bold pink to the bed in the same full sun and lean, well-drained soil.
It begins blooming in early July and peaks late in the month, overlapping with lavender's main show and then carrying color after the lavender is cut. Give each plant its full 2-foot width so air moves freely around both. Plan it in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Soil: average to lean and well drained. Wet winter soil is how hybrid coneflowers are usually lost.
- Timing: plant by late summer so roots establish before winter.
- Water: regularly the first season; then it handles dry spells with little help.
- Deadheading: cut spent flowers back to a side bud for more blooms.
- Watch for: aster yellows, which causes distorted green flowers. Remove affected plants.
Fall and winter
Leave the last round of flowers on the plant. The seed heads add structure in winter and feed finches. Leave the stems standing until spring and avoid heavy mulch over the crown. In well-drained soil it is hardy in Michigan.
Cutting and containers
Raspberry Beret rates good as a cut flower; the short, branched stems suit small arrangements with lavender. Its compact, wide shape also makes it a strong container plant for a sunny patio.
Frequently asked questions
Do deer eat coneflowers?
This one is deer resistant, a plus for open, rural gardens.
How is it offered?
As a full 72-cell plug tray. See the product page for current availability.
Does it smell like anything?
The flowers have a faint, lightly sweet, honey-like scent up close.
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