While doing some much needed deadheading over the weekend, I noticed an unusual growth on some of my coneflowers. ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) Looks like the seeds have germinated while still on the old flower???
There is a double decker Coneflower but the new growth on top is the same color as the petals below. Is that the beginning of a bud at the top right? The leaves on the new growth are different from the Coneflower leaves, maybe a different seed landed in the seed head and germinated? What species or 'cultivar' is that coneflower? Some are hybrids and the seeds, if they sprout, will revert back to one of the parents. Can you pull it out and maybe plant it separately?
All very good questions Toni! None of which I can answer. I think I found 3 like this (one in a completely different part of the yard). I'm tempted to let at least one of them grow as is and try to cut off the coneflower heads with the new growth and just put it in a pot. Do you think that would work?
That sounds like it might be interesting to try...I have had different colors on one head....Let us know the results if you do try it.
Sherry... I cut one of the flower heads off and stuck it in a pot of dirt. Guess time will tell. Donna... Trust me, I haven't done anything special. I think it's just this variety of coneflower. I noticed on one of the plants that practically had this growth on each spent flower head. Toni.. I tried to lightly pull one of the sprouts out, but it's really attached. So I don't think it just happens to be a bird-deposited seed. Here's a few more photos... ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden )