Echinacea 'Playful Meadow Mama' is a distinctive coneflower cultivar with unusual bicolor petals - light pink to white tips surrounding deep magenta centers - that create a layered ruffled appearance. Its strong upright stems hold blooms well above the foliage providing a continuous display from mid to late summer. This selection is known for its ability to attract pollinators and for adding whimsical texture and color to perennial plantings.
Height & Spread: 24 - 30 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Mid summer to early fall
Light Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained, average to sandy soils
Watering Needs: Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established
Deer Resistance: Deer resistant
Native Status
This cultivar is derived from Echinacea purpurea, a species native to central and eastern North America. While 'Playful Meadow Mama' is a hybrid selection, it retains many ecological benefits of its native parent.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Visited by Monarchs, Painted Ladies, Red Admirals, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails for nectar throughout its blooming season.
Bees
- Supports a wide range of pollinators including native bumblebees, sweat bees, leafcutter bees, and honeybees seeking mid to late summer nectar.
Moths
- Attracts nocturnal moths including the Primrose Moth and other small pollinators active at dusk.
Birds
- Finches, particularly American Goldfinches, feed on the seed heads in late summer and fall often perching directly on the cones.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 18 - 24 in apart to accommodate upright habit and promote good airflow between plants.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent in pollinator borders, cottage gardens, and sunny mixed perennial beds. Also striking in mass plantings or as a whimsical vertical accent among grasses and low growers.
Companion Plants
- Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam' (Tickseed) - Soft yellow threadleaf blooms contrast beautifully with coneflower colors and bloom in harmony.
- Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop) - Spikes of fragrant lavender flowers draw similar pollinators and provide vertical variety.
- Allium schoenoprasum (Chives) - Edible and ornamental, chive blooms offer early season support for pollinators near later blooming echinacea.
- Monarda didyma 'Jacob Cline' (Bee Balm) - Bold red blooms and aromatic foliage support hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies in overlapping bloom cycles.
- Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) - Adds grassy contrast and fall color pairing naturally with upright echinacea forms.