I’ve had limited luck with hybrid echinaceas. The flowers are very pretty, but some of the cultivars didn’t survive my Zone 5 winters. I also found them to be a magnet for hungry bunnies who shaved off the flower stalks faster than the plants could send them up. I still have a couple of survivors in my garden, but I rarely see them bloom.
I hadn’t purchased any hybrid echinaceas for several years (I’ve tried growing ‘Orange Meadowbrite, ‘Twilight’ and ‘Sunrise’ to name a few), but last spring I just couldn’t resist ‘Tomato Soup’.
I saw quite a few complaints online from gardeners saying ‘Tomato Soup’ sent up few blooms, the flowers tended to fade and the petals weren’t always symmetrical. I also read advice about protecting the plant from harsh winters and not letting it bloom the first year in exchange for a stronger root system. And others suggested it needed moist soil and protection from the wind.
That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement, but I decided to gamble on one of these fussy beauties anyway.
For the most part, I’m defying all growing advice. My plant might have a shot at moist soil, but it’s growing in an exposed location that gets wind and bears the brunt of winter. I didn’t cut back the flowers before they bloomed because I shelled out a whopping $10 for ‘Tomato Soup’, and in the event it was going to croak over winter, I wanted to enjoy the flowers at least once. If it survives winter, I will consider ‘Tomato Soup’ much tougher than its reputation.
‘Tomato Soup’ grows 28-32 inches tall with 5-inch flowers.