Knowledgebase

Echibeckia requirements-gets wilty towards end of day #868999

Asked May 18, 2024, 10:35 AM EDT

Echibeckia Summerina Sunburst. Planted a few weeks ago, after purchasing at the Chadwick plant sale, in a south facing bed beside my dirveway reciving full sun for 6+ hours a day (sun starts about 8:00 a.m. gets behind a big maple tree about 3:00 p.m.). I put 12-18" of topsoil on top of gravel which was put in beside my foundation, to establish the bed. I planted a Spider wort, St. Johns wort, Echinacia and Smooth Aster in the same bed. Spider wort and Echibeckia get wilty after hours of sun towards mid to end of the day, the other plants do fine, alond with Garlic chives and Thyme. I found the Spider Wort wants part sun (oops) but I wonder why the Echibeckia gets wilty? I only found one referenece that Echibekia wants part sun, all other info I found said full sun to part shade. I watered it late in the day, after it wilted, and it perked up. On cloudy days there is no problem with wilting. Thoughts? Does it need to get estblished? Once estblished will the sun wilting problem go away? Should I water regular until established? Should I move it to a less sunny area? Early sun only, late sun only? I probably should move the Spider Wort. but that's another problem.

Richland County Ohio

Expert Response

Hello!  Thank you for contacting Ask a Master Gardener with your questions about the Echibeckia Summerina Sunburst you recently planted.  Here's what I found for a possible cause:

Wilting can be a sign of either too little or too much moisture. If your plants are wilting, test the soil moisture and water deeply if soil is dry under 2” of soil for potted plants, and 6” for in-ground plants. If the soil is wet or soggy, allow it to dry before watering. Avoid the temptation to continue deeply watering, as overwatering further stresses plants. While a deep early-morning soaking can perk up a wilted plant experiencing heat stress, do not saturate it constantly to the point of waterlogging or you’ll have a whole new set of problems.

Wilting plants are a common sight in extreme heat. Many plants will wilt in the heat of the day and perk up in the evening as temperatures lower. If your plant remains wilted through the night, check your soil moisture levels.

It can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months for stressed plants to recover. 

https://go.monrovia.com/help

Although tolerant of most soil types, it prefers to be grown in free-draining soil. Once established, this perennial is tolerant of dry conditions, but will need to be watered frequently after planting and for the first growing season. To support production of its eye-catching flowers, a slow-release, balanced fertilizer can be applied in spring.

https://plantaddicts.com/summerina-sunchaser-echibeckia

One other thing I noted is that you said you put 12-18" of topsoil in your flowerbed.  You may want to try using potting soil when transplanting and don't forget to untangle the roots as they are sometimes get bound up in the pots. Using potting soil in the hold softens up the dirt and allows the roots to establish easier.

I hope this helps you with your wilting Echibeckia problem.  Please write again if you have any further questions or concerns.

Happy gardening!


Diana Eliason Replied May 18, 2024, 3:02 PM EDT
The plants do perk up after the sun goes away.  New plants with heat stress I guess.  I will water the new plants periodically to help out, but spring rains right now I would think would be enough to prevent drying out.  Just some extra to be sure they can get established.  There are other plants which wilt late in the day (Rudbeckia, Echinacia, Smooth Aster, SpiderWort) but they all perk up in the evening.  I will check the soil moisture at some point.  The gravel underneath I think would allow good drainage.

Thanks!

On Sat, May 18, 2024 at 3:02 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied May 20, 2024, 11:01 AM EDT


You're very welcome.  

We're always here to answer your gardening questions.

Hope you have a great summer!

Diana Eliason Replied May 21, 2024, 7:26 AM EDT

Loading ...