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Graham Rice

Graham Rice Garden writer and plantsman Northamptonshire and Pennsylvania

Editor-in-Chief of the RHS Encyclopedia of Perennials.

  • Date Joined: 18 Oct 2006

Recent Comments

‘Tiki Torch’ – a new orange echinacea

Posted by Graham Rice on 16 May 2008 at 01:30 PM

In the last few years echinaceas have come a long way - in terms of new colours at least. So far these have all been raised in America and Antonia Fiander at Future Primitive Plants in Worcestershire has just emailed to say that she now has stock of the latest to hit these shores - ‘Tiki Torch'. [Click on the images to enlarge them.]

Bred by Terra Nova Nurseries in Oregon, who've raised hundreds of good perennials in recent years, ‘Tiki Torch' is derived in part from the very robust E. purpurea ‘Ruby Giant' and also from the yellow-flowered E. paradoxa. The flowers are a vivid pumpkin orange, slightly darker at the base of each petal, with bright red cones and a strong scent. I've not grown it yet, but it looks to be the most vivid orange echinacea so far.

As well as being available from Future Primitive Plants, ‘Tiki Torch' is listed by these Plant Finder nurseries and Thompson and Morgan Young Plants.

My article on these new hybrid echinaceas in The Plantsman magazine is available here.

And here's a hint of what's to come - the next two echinaceas due for release from Terra Nova Nurseries. They're not yet available from nurseries. I'll let you know when they are. They go by the unfortunate names of 'Mack N Cheese' and 'Tomato Soup'

Comments

digger said:

They are beautiful plants, but I just cannot get the formula for keeping them alive right, the garden ones died (too much water probably) but now the one i had in a pot has given up the ghost, i will read more before my next purchase.

on 16 May 2008 at 08:42 PM

digger said:

This morning I have just received T&M's catalogue and they have Tiki Torch in there for delivery in August

on 17 May 2008 at 12:50 PM

red nurseries said:

Pingback from  red nurseries

on 17 May 2008 at 02:16 PM

Graham Rice said:

Thanks for alerting me, Digger, I've added the link to the original post. My T&M catalogue has not yet arrived. Full sun, fertile soil and good winter drainage seem to be what's needed.

on 17 May 2008 at 09:46 PM

digger said:

I will be giving it another go Graham, they are too nice not to.

on 18 May 2008 at 11:36 AM

yellow flowered perennials said:

Pingback from  yellow flowered perennials

on 06 Jun 2008 at 10:29 PM

Diva_in_the_Garden said:

I planted 3 white echinacea a little later than I should actually.. end of May but they have all started growing, so I will be careful not to overwater having read all your comments. It's my first attempt at them but I was given the bulbs/corms?? free so threw them in the earth with a wing and a prayer and so far it's working!! I have to say that those orange ones look fabulous though.

on 22 Jun 2008 at 06:42 PM