Coneflower, Green Twister

Green Twister Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Green Twister')

Green Twister Coneflower puts a dramatic spin on the classic Purple Coneflower, producing large flowers with green-tipped petals that transition through pink and magenta toward a prominent copper-orange central cone. Despite its unusual coloration, this cultivar retains the sturdy, sun-loving character and pollinator appeal of its native species. Long summer flowering, sturdy seed heads, and excellent compatibility with native grasses make Green Twister a useful ornamental accent in pollinator gardens, perennial borders, meadow-inspired plantings, and sunny herb gardens.

Key Characteristics

Green, pink, and copper flowers unlike typical coneflowers
Each flower develops a distinctive color gradient: lime-green petal tips transition into rosy pink and magenta around a raised orange-brown cone. Because individual flowers change as they mature, a flowering clump displays several color stages simultaneously. The unusual palette is especially effective among purple flowers, golden grasses, and darker-leaved perennials.

A long summer feeding station for pollinators
The broad central cones contain numerous small fertile flowers that are visited by bumble bees, sweat bees, small native bees, butterflies, and other flower-feeding insects. Rather than planting one isolated specimen, use several plants together to create a larger, easier-to-find foraging patch. Deadheading can encourage additional flowering, while leaving later blooms intact provides mature seed heads for fall and winter.

Leave the cones standing for American Goldfinches
Once flowering ends, the stiff seed heads become useful rather than merely "spent." American Goldfinches and other seed-eating birds may pick seeds directly from mature coneflower heads. Leaving the final flush of stems standing through winter also preserves vertical structure and potential shelter for insects while reducing unnecessary fall garden cleanup.

Built for sunny perennial and meadow-style plantings
Green Twister develops a sturdy upright form that layers naturally with Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, blazing stars, Mountain Mint, bee balms, asters, and goldenrods. Its deepest roots develop best in open soil rather than constantly wet conditions, giving established plants good tolerance of summer dry periods. It works particularly well in pollinator borders and designed meadow plantings where its distinctive flowers can punctuate more naturalistic vegetation.

Product Details

• Native range: Cultivated selection of Echinacea purpurea, a species native to the central and eastern United States
• Plant life cycle: Herbaceous perennial
• Sun requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil requirements: Medium-dry to medium, well-drained
• Mature height: 30–40 inches
• Bloom time: June–September
• Bloom color: Green and magenta-pink petals with copper-orange to reddish-brown centers
• USDA Hardiness zones: 3–8

Plant Green Twister in full sun for sturdy stems, abundant flowers, and the strongest coloration. Good drainage is more important than rich soil, and established plants require relatively little supplemental water. Deadhead early flowers if additional bloom is desired, but leave the late-season cones standing so birds can forage on the seeds and the planting retains structure into winter.