Paradiso Mix Echinacea is a spectacular blend of gem-toned coneflowers that transforms any garden into a living jewel box. These heirloom cultivars stand 24 to 36 inches tall and produce flowers in a wild spectrum of colors, from soft pastels to rich jewel tones, making them as stunning in perennial beds and meadows as they are in containers. Beyond their ornamental brilliance, these plants are genuinely medicinal; the flowers can be harvested and brewed into herbal tea that research suggests may support immune function, particularly valued during cold and flu season.
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3-9
36in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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The color range in Paradiso Mix is genuinely unexpected. Rather than the typical purple-pink coneflowers most gardeners know, this blend delivers an almost candy-like spectrum of gem tones that shift and surprise throughout the growing season. Plants reach a full 2 to 3 feet, creating substantial presence in the garden, and they're equally at home in herb gardens, perennial borders, meadows, or containers. The real draw is the dual nature: you get breathtaking ornamental interest while simultaneously growing a medicinal herb you can actually harvest and use.
These coneflowers shine as both ornamental specimens and medicinal herbs. In the garden, they anchor perennial beds, brighten meadow plantings, and add drama to container arrangements. For herbal preparation, the flowers are harvested and dried to make immune-supporting tea, particularly during seasons when colds and flu circulate. The plants serve gardeners who want beauty and function in the same space.
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Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Seeds sprout in 10 to 15 days when kept at 65 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Sow on the soil surface or just barely press into moist seed starting mix. Provide bright light once seedlings emerge to prevent leggy growth.
Harden off seedlings gradually over 7 to 10 days by exposing them to increasing outdoor conditions. Transplant into the garden after your last frost date when soil has warmed and plants are 3 to 4 inches tall. Space plants 8 inches apart in full sun locations.
Direct sow seeds in spring after the last frost date, pressing them lightly into the soil surface. Keep soil consistently moist until germination occurs in 10 to 15 days.
Harvest flowers for tea when they are fully open and the petals have fully reflexed backward from the central cone. Pick flowers in the morning after dew dries but before intense afternoon heat. Dry the entire flower head by hanging bundles upside down in a warm, well-ventilated space away from direct sunlight. Once completely dry and brittle, store in airtight containers. Harvest can begin once plants have established, typically by mid to late summer of the first year.
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