Käpykukka "Mexican Hat" (Meksikonkeltahattu)

Prairie coneflower "Mexican Hat".
First year flowering, flowers or seedcapsules for cutting.
For the rockgarden.
Red-brown flowers with yellow tips, dwarf habit.
Family: Asteraceae, Compositae.
Compact form with fun, colorful blooms with pendulous reddish-brown petals edged in yellow surround tall, prominent cones.
Colour: Reddish-brown.
Natural Flowering Period: July - October.
Winter Hardiness Zones: Z3-8
Growth Habit: Upright
Foliage: pinnately divided.
Height with Flowers: 45 cm.
Spacing between Plants: 45 cm.
Soil Requirements: Well-drained soils, pH 5.8 - 7.2.
Location: Full sun.
Use: Enjoy this with our sun-loving, drought tolerant perennials - Asclepias tuberosa "Gay Butterflies", Liatris spicata "Kobold" and Oenothera pilosella "Yella Fella".
Specialities: Quick germinator, easy-to-grow, 1st year flowering and carefree.
Cultural Tips:
Grams per 1000 Seeds: 0,667.
Seeds per Gram: 1500-1700.
Seeding Recommendation: 2 g / 1000 plants
Sowing Rate: 3 seeds per cell.
Germination: Rapidly germinating, keep seed in constant moisture (not wet) with temperatures of about +20°C. Seeds must be covered thinly. Keep in cooler conditions after germination occurs.
Scheduling:
Best Sowing Dates: anytime.
Sowing to Germination: 2 - 3 weeks.
Germination to Transplant: 3 - 4 weeks.
Transplanting to Salable Plant: 4 - 6 weeks.
Cutting-Back at Transplanting: not necessary.
Growing On:
Container Size(s): 1 plug per 8/9 cm; 1-2 plugs per 11/12 cm.
Vernalization: No vernalization required for flowering in the first year.
Forcing: An obvious place to experiment - following vernalization - would be raising daytime temperatures to +15°C +17°C. Provide 16 hours of continuous lighting. During the short days of winter, provide a night interruption lighting of 4 hours between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.

Eng.: Upright prairie coneflower, Mexican Hat, Grey Headed Coneflower, Yellow Coneflower. Suom.: Käpykukka, meksikonkeltahattu. Sven.: Mexikohatt. Bot. syn.: Lepachys columnifera (Nutt.), Ratibida columnaris D. Don, Rudbeckia columnaris Pursh non Sims, Rudbeckia columnifera Nutt.