Plants grow 12 to 18 inches high, and should be spaced about 10 to 12 inches apart. Although this plant is known for tolerating dry conditions, it also survived the unusually wet 1998 season in Vermont trials although it flowered sparsely. To achieve the latter, especially if you garden in a cool location, try these plants near a paved surface, the south side of a building, or in a patio container. The winner for 1999 is the selection 'Flamenco,' which in our 1998 conditions was not especially noteworthy. Although reputed to grow 24 to 30 inches in height, ours were about half that.
Flowers are four to eight inch spikes of small tubular flower tubes.
Because of this, Flamenco can receive this award even though most of the All-America winners are annuals. Since it takes about six months from sowing to flower, either start seeds early indoors, or buy plants at garden stores in spring, if this sounds like a new flower you'd like to try.