Positioning Echinacea purpurea is a native of prairies and open woods and therefore will do best in full sun or partial shade. But too much shade will result in significantly fewer flowers.
Soil A well-drained fertile soil is favoured. This can be neutral to alkaline. Echinacea purpurea has very good drought tolerance, but it is important to keep the soil moist after planting until the plants are established.
A good amount of organic fertilizer applied in spring will encourage better growth and development. In poor soils an extra amount in summer might help to prolong flowering. If you are not using liquid fertilizer, make sure that it gets washed in, so that the roots can absorb it.
Deadheading Like all other single flowering E. purpurea, this cultivar will also set seeds after flowering. If you want your plant to continue blooming the same season, you need to remove the faded flowers. Otherwise the plant's energy will all go into seed production rather than flower production.
Diseases Echinacea purpurea has very little in the way of disease problems. Some leaf spots may occur, but these will not be lethal, and after dormancy the plant will emerge again with healthy leaves.
Links Another website you might like to check for information on growing Echinacea is Perennial Flower Gardening.
What are your experiences growing Echinacea 'Fatal Attraction'? Got any questions or tips for your fellow gardeners?
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