What's eating my echinacea 'cheyenne spirit'?

Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit' faces the same pest suite as other coneflowers: aphids, Japanese beetles, and the aster-yellows-spreading eriophyid mite are the primary threats. Deer will graze the colourful blooms. Robust plants in full sun with good airflow resist most problems well; the biggest risk is Japanese beetle damage mid-summer.

Flowers and foliage skeletonized; lacy leaf damage spreads rapidly during beetle flight season (June–August in US). Hand-pick into soapy water daily; apply neem oil or pyrethrin as a deterrent; do not use pheromone beetle traps close to the planting.

Soft colonies on new shoots and beneath leaves; honeydew leads to sooty mould and reduced vigour. Strong water jets dislodge colonies; follow up with insecticidal soap; plant dill or fennel nearby to attract aphid predators.

Bizarre rosette growth, greening of petals, stunted cone; the entire plant is systemically infected and unsalvageable. Dig and bin affected plants immediately; reduce leafhopper vectors with sticky yellow traps; source disease-indexed transplants.

Browsed flower stems and heads, leaving ragged stumps, most damaging as the vibrant blooms open. Use granular or spray repellents around the clump; surround young plants with wire cloches for the first season.