Life History Growth begins in late March or early April from buds on the lower stems formed the previous year. Some stems near the soil surface can remain green through the winter. By early May, flowering shoots can be distinguished from vegetative shoots by the developing broad bracts of the inflorescence. The plants bloom from late May to late June. Though it is uncommon, a few plants sometimes bloom in August or September.
Individual flowers bloom for five to nine days.
Blooming begins at the base of the inflorescence and proceeds upward, and an individual plant is usually in bloom for three to four weeks. Not all plants bloom every year. Flowers are pollinated by many insects, including wasps, ants, bees, beetles, butterflies and flies. The fruit, a capsule containing 25 to 35 seeds, begins to form soon after the flowers drop and continues to develop through the summer. An average of 1,500 seeds are produced by each plant.