Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Mop Head')

Overview

Discover the compact charm of Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’, a specialized cultivar of the beloved Purple coneflower. This variety offers gardeners a tidy, manageable height while retaining the durable, drought-tolerant nature the species is known for. Its unique white flowers provide a bright contrast in the garden, making it highly desirable.

As an herbaceous perennial in the Asteraceae family, Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ thrives when given full sun, though it can tolerate light afternoon shade. It is exceptionally adaptable, proving resilient against heat, humidity, and poor soil conditions once established. Planting this cultivar ensures season-long visual interest throughout summer.

Gardeners value this specific Purple coneflower for its excellent performance in perennial borders and native plantings. Thanks to its low maintenance needs and impressive tolerance range, Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ is a smart choice for both novice and experienced gardeners seeking reliable summer color.

Fast Facts

• Plant Family: Asteraceae
• Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
• Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3-9
• Size at Maturity:
  • Height: 1-1.5 ft
  • Spread: 0.75-1 ft
• Bloom Time: June to August
• Bloom Description: White
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
• Water Needs: Dry to medium
• Maintenance Level: Low

How to Grow

Plant Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ in the spring or fall after the soil can be worked, ensuring it is placed in a location receiving full sun for the best flower production. This adaptable plant establishes well in average, well-drained soils, handling dry to medium moisture levels without issue. Good drainage is key to preventing root issues over winter.

Maintenance for this low-level perennial is minimal. While plants often rebloom without intervention, prompt removal of spent flowers improves the overall tidy aesthetic through late summer. If you prefer self-seeding, leave some seed heads intact for winter texture and bird foraging; otherwise, deadheading encourages cleaner appearance.

Clumps of this Purple coneflower generally benefit from division every four years when they become overcrowded, helping to maintain vigor. Remember that Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ is a patented variety, meaning propagation must be done vegetatively rather than by seed collection if increasing your stock. This robust plant features excellent tolerance to drought and poor soil once established.

Landscape Uses

The compact nature and long bloom period of Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ make it an outstanding element for structuring perennial borders. Its pure white flowers offer a beautiful contrast, functioning effectively as a bright foreground or mid-border feature. This variety blends seamlessly into native plant gardens or naturalized meadows where lower maintenance is desired.

Consider massing this dependable Purple coneflower alongside dark-leaved companions or complementary bloomers, such as black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckias), to maximize visual impact during mid-summer. It is also an excellent choice for woodland garden areas that receive partial shade, providing reliable bloom when sunlight is less intense.

Standout Features

Flower Qualities

• Showy

Noteworthy Characteristics

Echinacea purpurea, commonly called purple coneflower, is a coarse, rough-hairy, herbaceous perennial native to moist prairies and open woods of the central to southeastern United States. The species typically grows much taller, but ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ is noted for its notably short and compact size, reaching only 13-16 inches tall, featuring drooping pure white ray flowers surrounding greenish center cones. The stiff stems and coarse, dark green leaves add texture, and the mature cones provide winter interest, often attracting feeding goldfinches.

Tolerances

• Deer
• Drought
• Clay Soil
• Dry Soil
• Shallow-Rocky Soil

Potential Problems

While generally robust, gardeners should watch for occasional Japanese beetle activity or fungal issues like leaf spot. More seriously, this coneflower variety is susceptible to aster yellows disease, a persistent problem spread by leafhoppers which can distort growth and flower color. Healthy air circulation, achieved by proper spacing, helps mitigate fungal risks with this and all Purple coneflower cultivars.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zones is Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ suitable for?

This robust perennial is suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9, offering wide adaptability across many climates.

How large does Purple coneflower grow?

Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ achieves a compact height between 1 and 1.5 feet, with a spread ranging from 0.75 to 1 foot wide.

When does Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ bloom?

This variety displays its striking white blooms reliably from June all the way through August, ensuring consistent summer color.

What sun exposure does Purple coneflower need?

For the best flowering performance, ensure Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ receives full sun, although it tolerates conditions ranging down to part shade.

Conclusion

Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ provides unmatched dependability, offering compact stature and visually appealing white blooms throughout the summer months. This resilient Purple coneflower handles challenging soil conditions with ease, reducing overall garden labor. Before planting, confirm your site conditions align with its need for sun and well-drained soil for years of low-maintenance enjoyment.

Companion Planting with Purple Coneflower

When designing spaces for Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head,’ select companions that share similar cultural needs—namely, a love for full sun and tolerance for dry, average soils. Pairing this white-flowering cultivar next to plants with contrasting textures or colors enhances its display. Consider spiky companions like Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) or fine-textured ornamental grasses to break up the solid mound shape of the coneflower.

Another excellent pairing strategy involves using warm-toned fall bloomers. Placing Echinacea near plants that begin blooming later, such as Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ or hardy Asters, ensures that color interest carries well into the cooler months after the primary bloom of Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’ begins to fade. This technique creates layered, multi-seasonal interest in the border.

Seed Heads, Winter Interest, and Wildlife

Leaving the spent seed heads of this Purple coneflower standing through the winter is an important ecological consideration. The persistent, spiky central cones provide necessary winter structure and food for small songbirds, especially finches, which are drawn to the seeds. This practice aligns perfectly with naturalistic or wildflower garden designs.

If you decide to clean up your garden in late fall or early spring, remember to cut the stems back to about 4 to 6 inches above the ground. In colder climates, performing this cleanup in early spring rather than late fall helps protect the crowns of the perennial and provides maximum winter habitat and visual interest before new spring growth emerges for your Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Mop Head’.