Echinacea purpurea 'Doubledecker'

Doubledecker' ('Doppelganger') is a pink coneflower with a unique two-tiered bloom. In the first growing season, traditional single coneflowers bloom sporting reflexed pink rays that surround large, rounded, dark brown center cones. Beginning in the second growing season, flowers predominently bloom as before but often with a second small tier of shorter pink rays shooting upward from the top of the brown center cone. Size and quality of the second tier of flowers varies from plant to plant. This unusual seed strain originated as a chance mutation in the garden of Eugen Schleipfer in Germa... more »

Doubledecker' ('Doppelganger') is a pink coneflower with a unique two-tiered bloom. In the first growing season, traditional single coneflowers bloom sporting reflexed pink rays that surround large, rounded, dark brown center cones. Beginning in the second growing season, flowers predominently bloom as before but often with a second small tier of shorter pink rays shooting upward from the top of the brown center cone. Size and quality of the second tier of flowers varies from plant to plant. This unusual seed strain originated as a chance mutation in the garden of Eugen Schleipfer in Germany, and was developed by him in succeeding years before it was introduced into commerce. Plants typically grow in an upright clump to 36-40\ tall and to 24-28\" wide on sturdy, well-branched stems that do not need staking. Flowers appear in a floriferous bloom from late spring to late summer, sometimes with additional sporadic bloom until frost. Strigose, narrow-ovate leaves (to 4\" long) with serrated margins are medium green. The dead flower stems will remain erect well into the winter, and if flower heads are not removed, the blackened cones may be visited by goldfinches or other birds that feed on the seeds. Echinacea comes from the Greek word ìechinosî meaning hedgehog in reference to the spiny center cone found on most flowers in the genus." (less)