GLENCOE, Ill. (Jan. 17, 2006) Chicagoland Grows® introduces Pixie Meadowbrite™ Coneflower, Echinacea 'CBG Cone 2' PPAF, the first true dwarf hyrbrid and the third in the Meadowbrite™ series of brightly colored coneflowers. Previously released were Orange Meadowbrite™ Coneflower, Echinacea 'Art's Pride' PP# 10050 and Mango Meadowbrite™ Hybrid Coneflower, Echinacea 'CBG Cone 3' PPAF.

This charming, mini-coneflower reaches only 18 inches high and is 20 to 24 inches wide. It has strong stems and bright pink flowers well into late summer. A controlled cross of Echinacea [tennesseensis x purpurea] x [angustifolia x tennesseensis], the plant was selected for hardiness, drought tolerance, longevity, compact form and garden durability. The vigorous plant, hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, has a medium growth rate and in two years reaches a mature height of 18 to 20 inches and width of 24 inches.

Jim Ault, Ph.D., director, Ornamental Plant Research, Chicago Botanic Garden, releases the latest plant in the Meadowbrite™ series following seven years in development.

"This is a completely different direction for coneflowers," said Ault. "Pixie is more compact than any other coneflower on the market and has an incredibly long bloom time and small perky flowers."

Like most coneflowers, Pixie prefers well-drained moist soils and full sun. It is a wonderfully drought-tolerant, dwarf perennial perfect for containers, perennial borders and small urban gardens. With the habit of a pot mum, it fits snuggly into small gardens and commercial landscapes. It has a heavy flush of blooms from July to August with sporadic flower production until October and is very attractive to birds and butterflies.

Pixie Meadowbrite™ can be ordered through retail catalogs Songsparrow and Jackson and Perkins. All three Meadowbrites™ will be available in select independent U.S. garden centers in late spring to early summer 2006. In following years, Chicagoland Grows“ will introduce shades of red, apricot and white coneflowers.

The Meadowbrite™ series is marketed through Chicagoland Grows“, a non-profit corporation of the Chicago Botanic Garden, The Morton Arboretum and the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois (OGA). The Chicagoland Grows“ Plant Introduction Program is dedicated to the evaluation, selection, production and marketing of recommended and new plant cultivars. Plants selected for the program have proven to be adaptable to the Midwest and are made available to the commercial and retail landscape industry through an international network of growers and propagators.

For more information on Pixie Meadowbrite™ or the Chicagoland Grows“ Plant Introduction Program, visit www.chicagolandgrows.org. For more information on plant breeding at the Chicago Botanic Garden, visit www.chicagobotanic.org/research/breeding/index.html.

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Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at www.chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $15; free for members. On Tuesdays, senior citizens age 62 and older pay just $7 for parking. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit www.chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

 The Chicago Botanic Garden is owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. Through the Institutes of Plant Conservation and Ornamental Plant Research, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.