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Chicago Unveils Orange Coneflowers

The Chicago Botanic Garden announces the creation of a new coneflower -- in orange, not the usual purple. The flowering plant was derived by breeding different strains of coneflower, yielding a plant that has become wildly popular.

Part of that popularity is due to gardeners' renewed interest in native plants. The coneflower, a type of daisy, has long grown across North America's plains. For years, American Indians used the plant -- species Echinacea -- for its medicinal benefits.

The Chicago plant, called the Orange Meadowbrite, was created by Jim Ault, the garden's director of ornamental plant research. Ault reportedly cross-bred hybrids more than 90 times before arriving at the desired color and shape.

Ault talks with NPR's Michele Norris about the new flower's history and current popularity.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.