Plant Quiz answer

Amy was right, it is Echinacea. This is Echinacea purpurea, purple coneflower. The one below is the standard species, which I grew from seed.



I also bought some cultivars for our front yard garden. This is either 'Magnus' or 'Spinning Top', probably the former. I guess the petals are a bit wider and less reflexed, but there doesn't seem to be a great difference.


One think that is amazing about plants is their morphological plasticity. When you see a baby bunny, you know more or less what an adult bunny looks like. But plants can dramatically change their shape throughout development, and that makes them fun. I especially like how the flower bud looks so different than the flower.