Yellow flowers, adorning a spiked stem, open in late afternoon, bloom into the evening, and close before morning. Likes sunny, well-drained soils and blooms during the summer.

Tender evergreen perennial usually grown as a half-hardy annual, grows up to 3m in height and 1.5m in width in a season, as a tree in warmer climates will grow up to 7.5m high; palmate leaves, up to 45cm long and wide. Seeds are poisonous and should not be ingested.

An unusual and very striking coneflower with quilled flowers in rich shades of yellow to russet and mahogany. Vigorous, well branched plants produce strong flowers for cutting. Half-hardy annual will flower from July to the first frosts.