Another plant receives my “Show Me NOW” Plant (New Offering With promise) recognition during KTRS’s Inside Out Show’s Featured Plant of the Week segment making it the second plant I am planning on keeping a sharp eye on to see if it is worthy of “Show Me Star” status!
The show went well with the pleasant addition of Kim, manager of Sugar Creek Gardens.
Feeling very comfortable about having another green heart on air to banter with, I didn’t feel too foolish in closing the segment asking Kim to do me a favor and put a ‘Little Annie’ aside for me to pick up today. She did agree it appears to be a very worthy perennial for me to trial, so THANKYOU Kim, what a cutie!
Culturally speaking, this E. p. ‘Little Annie’ is touted to be as sustainable as any other purple cone flower. She is described as “easy to grow” and like the rest of her family, good with average soil with average moisture and average drainage.
The show went well with the pleasant addition of Kim, manager of Sugar Creek Gardens.
Feeling very comfortable about having another green heart on air to banter with, I didn’t feel too foolish in closing the segment asking Kim to do me a favor and put a ‘Little Annie’ aside for me to pick up today. She did agree it appears to be a very worthy perennial for me to trial, so THANKYOU Kim, what a cutie!
Culturally speaking, this E. p. ‘Little Annie’ is touted to be as sustainable as any other purple cone flower. She is described as “easy to grow” and like the rest of her family, good with average soil with average moisture and average drainage.
Most frequently the species is found in the transitional areas between woodlands and open prairie also savannah type communities. This is often a full sun to part shade situation. Cone flowers also seem able to withstand light to moderate root competition-this makes her good for my little friend Florence and her little frount door garden "Re-Do"!
If this growing description fits your landscaping, I think you should have good success with E. p. ‘Little Annie’ too!
Cone flowers as in Echinacea purpurea, is commonly described as an adaptable plant “tolerant” of drought, heat, humidity and poor soil. I consider all of these “normal stresses” that our plants are likely to encounter in an average home landscape so this “tolerance” is desirable as far as I am concerned!
Keep in mind, it takes most perennials at least one full season of monitoring and maintaining moisture establish.
Because ‘Little Annie’ is considered a dwarf selection, it is considerably shorter and more compact than many cone flowers, she will be perfect for small gardens like Florence's doorstep sanctuary garden.
The plant I have currently in my possession is also growing in a in a slightly smaller flower pot than most perennials. Therefore, once she is planted, I will be watching her closer than usual for early signs of drought stress. Water is likely to drain away from her relatively shallow, “petite” size root zone.
I will also be curious to see if she has kept her attractive qualities as far as food source for butterflies and song birds. I am not sure she can maintain this tight of growth habit over a three year period. Several earlier “compact” coneflowers outgrew their height description after only a few seasons. I will let you know!
Here are some great links along with some additional cone flower information:
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/plant.asp?code=E407
Cone Flower Plant Search MoBot
Proven Winner ‘Little Annie’
On a personal note:
All this talk about ‘Little Annie’ proving her worth makes me think about my own worth. I am humbled that God loves me, knows my heart and is holding my hand these days.
Despite my imperfections, Jesus saved me. I know I will never be “trial worthy” for His Kingdom.
I pray every day that I never forget to be aware of the pretty miserable results to be gained from my own human effort.
I thank God that He reminds me of this daily. He made me, knows my name and hears me when I call. He has put wonderful people in my path to "Re-mind" me as well!
Here is a pretty song that means a lot to both my friend Beth and myself-hope it plays well for you or that you know it too!
In His Hands...Re (MaryAnn)
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