When it arrives
Your plug tray
Pot plugs into 4 in pots or plant straight out after frost. Keep moist while roots grow. On fancy hybrids, pinching off first-summer flower buds helps the plant build roots and come back stronger.
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Real dishes from our Field Notes recipes, shared by the people who made them.
Watermelon Sugar grown by our community
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- Mature height
- 26.0 in
- Mature spread
- 24.0 in
- Bloom
- Early-July – peak Late-July
- Fragrance
- Mild
- Deer
- Resistant
Lavender companion · grow guide
How to grow Watermelon Sugar
Coneflower · Echinacea
Coneflower wants full sun and well-drained average soil. Native types are tough and drought tolerant; fancy colored and double hybrids need extra care their first year to settle in.
Check my zone & planting dates
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Full sunLight
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Moderate waterAverage drainage
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pH 6.0–8.0Soil
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Zones 4a–8bHardiness
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26″ tall24″ wide
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ResistantDeer · rabbits some resistance
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Not known toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Watermelon Sugar will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 4a–8b
Spring through early summer is best, so hybrids root in well before winter.
Your year with Watermelon Sugar
JFMAMJJASOND
When to plant
Spring through early summer is best, so hybrids root in well before winter.
How deep
Set the crown even with the soil surface. Don't bury it or pile mulch on it.
Spacing
About 18–24 in apart.
Soil
Average loam; tolerates clay, sand and rocky soil · pH 6.0–8.0
Fix-it tip: Skip heavy compost. In heavy clay, loosen deeply and plant slightly high so the crown doesn't sit wet in winter; that is the most common cause of loss in hybrids.
Sun
Full sun (tolerates part sun).
In shade, stems lean and bloom drops off.
Don’t give up on it
Is it alive? What spring looks like
Basal leaves appear in mid-spring, usually April to May in Michigan; the fancy hybrids can be later. Look for small dark-green leaves at the crown before giving up.
Spring
Cut back old stems to the new basal growth.
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Summer
Bloom; deadhead; watch for Japanese beetles.
Fall
Leave seed heads for birds.
Winter
Leave stems standing; keep drainage good.
Watering
First season: Water deeply 1–2 times a week the first season, letting the top inch dry between.
After that: Drought tolerant once established; water during long dry spells.
Feeding
Little needed. A light spring layer of compost is plenty; heavy feeding makes floppy plants.
Pruning & deadheading
Deadhead to extend bloom. Leave late seed heads for birds. Cut stems to 12–24 in in fall or spring and leave the hollow stubs for native bees.
Dividing
Rarely needed. Clumps can be divided in spring every 4 years or so if crowded.
Winter
Hardy to about zone 3. Leave stems and seed heads standing; good drainage is the key to winter survival.
Summer heat
Handles heat and humidity well. Japanese beetles may visit flowers in midsummer.
Flowers twisted, green or tufted
Likely cause: Aster yellows, spread by leafhoppers
What to do: Remove and trash the whole plant; it doesn't recover and spreads.
Hybrid didn't return after winter
Likely cause: Wet winter soil, or too little root growth the first year
What to do: Plant earlier, in drained soil, and pinch first-year buds.
Plant self-seeds where you don't want it
Likely cause: Seed heads left on (native types)
What to do: Deadhead before seed ripens, or pull seedlings in spring.
Too wet or too dry?
Yellow lower leaves and a soft, dark crown: too wet. Wilting by midday that doesn't recover by evening: needs a deep soak.
Watch for
- Aster yellows (distorted green flowers)
- Japanese beetles
- Leaf spot; crown rot in wet soil
Pets & wildlife
NC State lists purple coneflower as non-toxic; it isn't in ASPCA's list.
Deer: resistant · Rabbits: somewhat resistant
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
In a container
Good in pots · 2 gallon+
Compact cultivars grow well in pots with good drainage. Overwinter pots in an unheated garage or sink them in the ground.
Indoors
Outdoor plant
Needs full sun and winter dormancy outdoors.
Winter chill
No chill needed
Plugs usually bloom the first summer without chilling (seed benefits from cold stratification).
Growing it on
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 2 gallon pot
Time to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Plant it right alongside lavender
A natural partner in the same sunny, well-drained bed. Coneflower blooms right after lavender's first flush and keeps color going; both attract pollinators and need little water.
Same bedNearbyIts own area
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